Iowa lieutenant governor looking at Senate race — but not if Steve King runs

Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) is seriously mulling a Senate bid — but only if Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) doesn't run.

"Lt. Gov. Reynolds is on a trade mission to Vietnam and the Philippines right now, and will begin discussions on a U.S. Senate run when she returns," Reynolds spokesman Tim Albrecht told The Hill via email. "She will speak with Congressman King as a part of those discussions. She and Congressman King have been friends for quite some time, and she would not enter a primary with him."

Reynolds is likely the state GOP's best remaining hope of winning the seat held by retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) after Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) announced on Wednesday that he wouldn't run for the Senate. She has close ties with Gov. Terry Branstad (R), a popular governor with a strong fundraising base, and has some crossover appeal to suburban female voters that other Republicans might not.

King, a Tea Party favorite, has been leaning towards a run, however. Polls show that he'd struggle against Democrats' likely nominee, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa). Braley has led King by a wide margin in a number of polls, and while he's also led Reynolds in polling, it's a closer race with more undecided voters.

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