Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) — America’s most unpopular governor, who just endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for 2024 — is accused of taking part in an effort to stall a GOP Governors letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) about protecting women’s sports, led by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R), an avid supporter of former President Donald Trump.
The Republican Governor’s Association (RGA), chaired by Reynolds, asked Noem’s office to consult the intended recipient of her letter, NCAA president and former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R), before the RGA’s policy committee would agree to circulate her letter for other governors to join, a source briefed on conversations told Breitbart News. The source said the request delayed the letter for more than a month and was highly unusual, as governors are allegedly never asked to consult recipients (like secretaries for various government agencies or even President Joe Biden) before drafting and sending letters.
“Governor Noem had been asked by the RGA to call Charlie Baker before they would move forward with the letter,” the source said. “So she called him and had those conversations. Despite jumping through that extra hoop, neither RGA Chair Reynolds, nor RGA Vice-Chair [Tennessee Gov. Bill] Lee signed the letter, and I can’t think of another instance where an RGA letter was shopped to its recipient before it could be circulated to other governors.”
“Reynolds’ team definitely stood behind that plan, and wouldn’t make a decision on supporting the letter until it took place,” the source noted.
Sources familiar with Noem’s subsequent discussion with Baker said he referred the South Dakota governor to a body called the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS), Real Clear Politics reported.
“Gov. Noem had excellent conversations with NCAA President Baker,” Noem spokesperson Ian Fury told Breitbart News. “He was very gracious and he offered excellent advice on how to be successful on this issue.”
Only eight other Republican governors ended up joining the letter, including Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R), who is the chair of the Republican Governors Public Policy Committee (RGPPC), the policy arm of the RGA. The letter was sent on Oct. 30 to the CSMAS with Baker cc’d, asking the committee to change its Transgender Student Athlete Policy, which allows “transgender student-athlete participation for each sport to be determined by the policy for the national governing body of that sport.”
“The NCAA has the chance to guarantee an environment where female college athletes can thrive without the concern of inequities. We trust that you also want to guarantee just such an environment. But this policy allows the NCAA to avoid responsibility for ensuring the fairness of collegiate sports – therefore it must be changed,” the letter reads.
Riley Gaines (Kentucky Wildcats/Facebook)
Reynolds’ lack of signature is especially notable, given that she had former competitive swimmer and activist Riley Gaines speak at her annual fundraiser — two weeks before the letter went out — about her experience competing against Lia Thomas, a male who identifies as a female and was allowed to compete against women despite his obvious biological advantages. Even more notably, Gaines’s experience was cited in Noem’s letter to the NCAA committee as an example of why women’s sports teams must be protected from gender ideology.
Nine governors signed a joint letter to the NCAA encouraging them to change their policies to protect, preserve, and prioritize fairness and safety over inclusion in women’s sports.
Amazing. Keep the pressure on President Baker and the NCAA!
Govs who signed:@KristiNoem ,… pic.twitter.com/zWqNUUd8yG
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) October 31, 2023
Reynolds’ office released two statements to Breitbart News when pressed on the matter but stopped responding when asked whether she supports the letter now that it has been released.
“Governor Reynolds has been a leader in pushing back against the Left’s radical gender ideology. Without hesitation, signing bills into law protecting girls’ sports for girls, even at the NCAA level, and protecting minors from permanent, experimental gender transition procedures,” Reynolds’ deputy communications director Kollin Crompton first replied when asked about the Baker accusation and whether she supports the contents of the letter despite not signing.
WATCH — Riley Gaines: I Want No Girl to EVER Have to “Compare Themselves Physically to a Male” in Sports
Matt Perdie / Breitbart News
“In 2022, without hesitation or fear of blowback, Gov. Reynolds led on protecting girls’ sports, even at the NCAA level, and, in 2023, protected our children from experimental, permanent gender transition surgeries. Just as her Republican Governor colleagues have,” Crompton replied to further questioning. “She signs letters when she can, but not signing one isn’t an indication of disagreement – especially on this issue.”
Breitbart News also reached out to Gov. Lee’s office asking if he now supports the contents of the letter, although his office did not answer definitively.
“The letter you’re referencing was formulated on a tight deadline, and our team was unable to properly review in time to sign on. As you know, RGA circulates dozens of letters in any given calendar year. Gov. Lee signed on to Gov. Noem’s previous letter on this issue,” Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said, before going on to list the governor’s track record on transgender issues.
Reynolds’ presidential pick, Gov. DeSantis, was also absent from the list of signees, despite his reputation as a staunch opponent of ever-encroaching gender ideology.
Breitbart News received two wildly different responses from different DeSantis spokespersons upon reaching out to his team for comment, one of which appeared to mock Noem’s efforts with a “been-there-done-that” overtone.
“Ron DeSantis has already done what this letter is merely asking the NCAA to do. Ron DeSantis championed legislation that successfully and fully protects women’s sports in Florida by prohibiting men from competing in women’s sports at the college and high school levels,” DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin said via email.
“We are, however, glad to see that Governor Noem has decided to reverse her position on the matter after initially vetoing a bill in South Dakota that would have protected women’s sports for fear of upsetting the NCAA,” Griffin jabbed.
In another response, DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern listed several of the governor’s accomplishments and said DeSantis is “championing and enacting conservative policies where it matters.”
“The NCAA’s rule change would not be possible if it weren’t for the extremist gender ideology pushed by the Biden Administration,” Redfern said.
He continued:
In May this year, Governor DeSantis signed a letter with 24 other Republican governors to oppose the Biden administration’s proposed rule changes to Title IX. While we respect the effort of the nine governors who signed this letter, we believe our position on this topic is clear.
The RGA declined to comment on the record about Reynold’s alleged role or about Noem’s office being asked to speak first with Baker before circulating the letter.
UPDATE 11:21 a.m. ET:
After the publication of this story, RGA national press secretary Courtney Alexander reached out with a quote that does not refute any of the specifics contained within the article but denying the broader report. “These accusations are categorically false and there is no merit to them,” Alexander said.
Alexander has refused to answer when repeatedly asked why Reynolds has not signed this letter from Noem. She continues to refuse to answer the question, and now on Wednesday when asked to provide Reynolds herself for an interview on the matter where the RGA chairwoman and Iowa governor could personally answer the question about why she refuses to sign the letter Alexander refused to make Reynolds available for questioning directly suggesting therefore that she understands that Reynolds does in fact have something to hide on this front.