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Chester John CulverCurrent 41st Governor of Iowa
Date of Birth: 25.01.1966
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Content:
- Chester John Culver
- Education and Early Career
- Secretary of State
- 2006 Gubernatorial Election
- Governor of Iowa
- Personal Life
- National Recognition
Chester John Culver
Chester John "Chet" Culver was born on January 25, 1966, in Washington, D.C. He is a Presbyterian and has served as a pastor.

Education and Early Career
Culver graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He received a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Drake University in 1994.

He moved to Iowa and worked as a staff member for the Iowa Democratic Party. He worked with Bonnie Campbell in her 1999 campaign for state attorney general and was a lobbyist under Campbell's husband. Culver later became a teacher in Des Moines.
Secretary of State
In 1998, at the age of 32, Culver was elected Iowa's youngest-ever Secretary of State. He was re-elected in 2002 by a landslide.
2006 Gubernatorial Election
In the Democratic primary, Culver faced a competitive race against former Iowa Department of Economic Development Director Mike Blouin and State Representative Ed Fallon. He won the primary with 39% of the vote, boosted by the endorsement of Patty Judge.
Culver faced Republican Congressman Jim Nussle in the general election and won by a narrow margin of 1.4% on November 7, 2006.
Governor of Iowa
As governor, Culver signed into law an expansion of stem cell research in Iowa. "This is about providing hope for Iowans who suffer from diseases like cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's," he said.
He also promoted Iowa as a leading alternative energy capital of the world.
Personal Life
Culver is married to MaryClaire. His father, John Culver, was a former U.S. Senator from Iowa.
National Recognition
Culver was elected federal mediator of the Democratic Governors Association for 2008-2009.