Editing Terry Branstad (section)

== Early life ==
Branstad was born in [[Leland, Iowa]]. His father was Edward Arnold Branstad, a farmer; his mother was Rita (née Garland).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/20/how-old-is-terry-branstad/ |title=U.S. Political News, Opinion and Analysis – HuffPost Politics |website=Politicsdaily.com |access-date=February 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://governor.iowa.gov/2013/07/edward-branstad-1924-2013/ |title=Edward Branstad (1924–2013) |website=Governor.iowa.gov |date=July 26, 2013 |access-date=February 8, 2016 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125025843/https://governor.iowa.gov/2013/07/edward-branstad-1924-2013/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Branstad's mother was Jewish, and his father was a [[Norwegian American]] [[Lutheran]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://carrollspaper.com/Content/Opinion-Archive/Opinion/Article/What-if-Terry-Branstad-were-a-Jewish-Latvian-/4/4/10921|title=What if Terry Branstad were a Jewish Latvian? – Daily Times Herald|website=carrollspaper.com|language=en-us|access-date=February 20, 2017|archive-date=August 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824112849/http://carrollspaper.com/Content/Opinion-Archive/Opinion/Article/What-if-Terry-Branstad-were-a-Jewish-Latvian-/4/4/10921|url-status=dead}}</ref> Branstad was raised Lutheran and later converted to Catholicism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://carrollspaper.com/Content/Local-News-Archive/Politics/Article/Gov-Knocking-down-commercial-property-tax-a-priority-in-2012/1/335/13023 |title=Gov: Knocking down commercial property tax a priority in 2012 |website=Carrollspaper.com |date=November 22, 2011 |access-date=February 8, 2016 |archive-date=February 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219184025/http://carrollspaper.com/Content/Local-News-Archive/Politics/Article/Gov-Knocking-down-commercial-property-tax-a-priority-in-2012/1/335/13023 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is a second cousin of [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Merrick Garland]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=McKinney |first1=Kait |title=Branstad Has Unique Connection to SCOTUS Nominee Merrick Garland|url=http://whotv.com/2016/03/16/branstad-has-unique-connection-to-scotus-nominee-merrick-garland/ |work=WHO-HD Channel 13 |date=March 16, 2016 |access-date=March 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 21, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321000616/http://whotv.com/2016/03/16/branstad-has-unique-connection-to-scotus-nominee-merrick-garland/ |url-status=live}}</ref>