07-05-2025
Democrat Nate Willems announces campaign for Iowa attorney general
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Democrat Nate Willems is running for Iowa attorney general. (Photo courtesy of the Nate Willems campaign)
Nate Willems, a lawyer and former state representative, announced Wednesday he is running for Iowa attorney general.
Willems, a Mount Vernon Democrat, is competing for the statewide elected position currently held by Attorney General Brenna Bird. She was first elected to office in 2022, when she defeated longtime Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller.
Willems may not be competing against Bird in the 2026 general election. Bird is considering a run for governor following Gov. Kim Reynolds' announcement that she will not seek reelection. Though Willems may be competing for an open position, he said he wants to change the trajectory of how the state office is utilized, alluding to Bird's commitment to filing legal challenges against policies from former President Joe Biden's administration.
'Iowans deserve an attorney general focused on protecting Iowans and standing up for our fundamental rights and freedoms,' Willems said in a statement. 'As attorney general, I'll work to keep communities safe by holding violent criminals accountable and I'll take on corporations who try to rip off Iowans by price gouging or stealing their hard-earned wages.'
If elected attorney general, Willems said he would use the office to investigate and prosecute corporations that break labor laws, as well as improving the state's consumer protections through the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. He also said he would work with prosecutors and local law enforcement to 'secure convictions for violent crimes.'
Willems said has a background in this field, having worked as a lawyer focused on labor cases as an attorney and partner for Rush & Nicholson, P.L.C., in Cedar Rapids, a workers' compensation firm. He has also previously held office in Iowa, representing then-House District 29 for two terms, from 2008 to 2012.
'I've spent my career representing tens of thousands of Iowans who have had crimes committed against them,' Willems said. 'I've successfully taken on corporations who think they're above the law and steal wages, require off-the-clock-work, hurt their employees, or violate the rights of working men and women in our state. As attorney general, I'll fight to make sure every Iowan gets the justice they deserve.'
