Iowa’s candidates for attorney general are offering sharply contrasting visions for the office.
Republican incumbent Brenna Bird is emphasizing her record prosecuting crime, protecting children online and challenging corporations. Democratic challenger Nate Willems meanwhile promises to shift the office’s focus toward wage theft, consumer protection and environmental enforcement.
Bird, a former county prosecutor from Dexter, narrowly unseated longtime Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller in 2022. She has since emerged as a prominent ally of President Donald Trump. She endorsed him ahead of the 2024 Iowa caucuses and travelled to New York that year to show her support as the then-former president stood trial in a criminal hush-money case.
Trump praised her early support at a recent Sioux City rally.
Willems, a labor attorney and former state lawmaker from Mount Vernon, argues the office has devoted too much attention to national political battles at the expense of everyday Iowans.
The differences were on display in recent campaign appearances and interviews ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Bird, speaking Monday at a Republican get-out-the-vote rally in Coralville, highlighted her office’s efforts to prosecute violent crime, assist victims and investigate unsolved murders.
“I am so thankful we've doubled the number of prosecutors in our office,” Bird told supporters. “We've improved our services for victims of crime. That makes a real difference.”
Bird said her administration established a dedicated cold case unit that has helped solve and bring charges in five murder cases, including one dating back 37 years.
“We're going to keep working with law enforcement and making it happen,” she said.
Bird also pointed to her efforts to hold technology companies accountable for allegedly harming children.
Earlier this month, Iowa joined seven other states in filing separate lawsuits against OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. They allege the artificial intelligence chatbot endangered children while misleading parents about its safety.
Bird alleges the company violated Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act by marketing ChatGPT as safe for children despite allegations that the chatbot encouraged suicide and violence, reinforced delusions and fostered unhealthy relationships.
The lawsuits seek stronger safeguards for children and accountability under existing state consumer protection laws.
Willems calls for renewed consumer protections
Willems said the attorney general’s office needs to return to its core mission of serving Iowans rather than political or corporate interests.
“I've spent my whole career going to work for regular Iowans, Iowans who sell their lives by the hour, who work with their hands,” Willems said in an interview with IPR News. “I want an attorney general's office that is focused on going to work for regular Iowans, going to work for all Iowans.”
Willems, who has practiced labor law for nearly two decades, said his priorities include rebuilding the office’s consumer protection division, creating Iowa’s first dedicated wage enforcement unit and strengthening enforcement of environmental laws.
He cited an estimate that $900 million in wages is stolen from Iowa workers annually through violations such as unpaid wages.
Willems also criticized what he described as insufficient penalties against corporate polluters, arguing enforcement actions should deter future violations and, where appropriate, recover money to clean up environmental damage.
He singled out a $10,000 penalty involving an ethanol plant in Shell Rock that he said released cancer-causing pollutants over several years.
Willems said the attorney general’s office should seek penalties substantial enough to make violating environmental laws more expensive than following them.
He acknowledged rebuilding the office’s enforcement capacity would require additional resources and stronger relationships with state lawmakers who control its budget.
National lawsuits and ties to Trump
Another central disagreement involves the attorney general’s role in national litigation.
Bird has joined or led numerous multistate lawsuits challenging Biden administration policies on immigration, environmental regulations and other issues, while backing Trump administration initiatives. Those include efforts to end birthright citizenship for certain U.S.-born children and Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests against his mass deportation policies.
Her supporters argue those lawsuits defend Iowa’s interests against federal overreach. Willems said the office has spent too much time pursuing national political fights.
“I am not running for attorney general because I want to sue the government every 10 minutes,” Willems said, adding, “I want the office more focused on Iowa.”
Willems said he would still pursue litigation against the federal government or corporations when Iowans face demonstrable harm.
He also credited Bird for joining litigation against Facebook over alleged harms to children and said protecting children online should remain a priority.
Competing public safety records
Bird has attacked Willems over his criminal justice experience and legislative record, noting he has never prosecuted a criminal case.
Bird’s campaign did not respond to multiple messages requesting an interview, but at the Coralville rally Bird accused Willems of opposing voter identification requirements, gun rights and monitoring released sex offenders.
Willems disputes Bird’s characterization, saying he supported legislation allowing case-by-case electronic monitoring of individuals the Iowa Department of Corrections determines may be a risk and establishing Iowa’s public sex offender registry.
He said the attorney general’s office already employs experienced career prosecutors who assist county attorneys in pursuing violent crime cases, and pledged to continue supporting their work.
Willems also expressed support for retaining Bird’s cold case unit, while emphasizing that local law enforcement agencies perform much of the investigative work.
Both candidates said protecting Iowans is their priority, but disagree over how the attorney general’s office should direct its resources and legal authority.
The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting is already underway.
