Chet Culver was born in 1966 in suburban Washington D.C. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Virginia Tech, where he played football. Culver is the youngest of four children of former Iowa Senator John Culver and Ann Cooper Culver. Culver began his career as an environmental and consumer advocate in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. After receiving his Master of Arts in Teaching at Drake University in 1994, he taught high school government and history, and also coached both football and basketball. Culver became Iowa’s 40th Governor in January 2007. He built upon Iowa’s strengths in renewable energy by creating the Iowa Power Fund. In 2008, Culver oversaw Iowa’s recovery after the state was hit by record tornadoes and historic floods.
In 2010, Culver lost his bid for a second gubernatorial term to Republican Terry Branstad.
