Questions about Nate Willems
Answers to common questions about Nate, his record, and his campaign for Iowa Attorney General.
Who is Nate Willems?
Nate Willems is a lifelong Iowan, labor lawyer, and the Democratic candidate for Iowa Attorney General in 2026. He was born and raised in Anamosa, Iowa, where his father worked as a Main Street attorney and his mother was a public school teacher. He lives in Mount Vernon with his wife Maggie, a public school teacher and state championship-winning volleyball coach, and their three daughters. He served two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2008 to 2012, and since 2010 has been a full-time labor lawyer and partner at Rush & Nicholson, P.L.C. in Cedar Rapids, the state's largest workers' compensation firm.
Why is Nate Willems running for Iowa Attorney General?
Nate is running because Iowans deserve an attorney general focused on protecting them and enforcing our laws to hold criminals, corporations, and bad actors accountable. He believes the office's top priority must be prosecuting violent crimes and obtaining convictions — and that it also means holding corporations accountable when they break the law. As an attorney, he sees crimes committed against working Iowans every day: roughly $900 million is stolen out of Iowans' paychecks every year through unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, and failure to pay Iowa's minimum wage.
What are Nate's top priorities as Attorney General?
Public safety comes first, working closely with county attorneys and prosecutors to obtain convictions on violent felonies. Beyond that, Nate wants the attorney general's office to go to work for regular working Iowans: using existing law to rein in corporations that roll over working people, rebuilding the Consumer Protection Division that was once a nationwide leader, holding polluters accountable, and protecting Iowa seniors from scams and fraud.
Who is Nate Willems running against?
Nate is running against Republican incumbent Brenna Bird in the 2026 election for Iowa Attorney General. Brenna Bird has used her time in office to protect special interests and political insiders, waste taxpayer dollars on national, politically-motivated litigation, and has failed to stand up for victims of sexual assault.
When is the election?
The Iowa general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Iowans can check their registration status, find their polling place, and learn about absentee and early voting options through the Iowa Secretary of State's office.
What has Nate accomplished as an attorney?
Nate has represented tens of thousands of Iowa workers over nearly two decades. He recovered $15 million for 11,000 current and former hospital and clinic workers in Iowa, secured $1.7 million in back pay for custodians, and won the largest collective bargaining wage increase in Iowa history on behalf of local police officers in Carter Lake.
How would Nate work with local law enforcement?
Nate believes local law enforcement and prosecutors need the tools to hold violent criminals accountable, and that there's no greater responsibility for an attorney general than keeping communities safe. In his legal practice he has represented police officers from Carter Lake to Clinton County, helping them negotiate contracts and go to arbitration. He does not believe police officers are overpaid, and he has been endorsed by the Carter Lake Peace Officers Association.
Did Nate Willems vote against monitoring sex offenders?
No. Brenna Bird's ads misrepresent his record. As a state representative, Willems voted for SF 340, a 2009 overhaul of Iowa's sex offender laws that strengthened law enforcement's ability to monitor offenders, restricted where offenders can live and work, and expanded public access to offender information. The bill passed the Iowa House 93–3, and those protections remain in place today.
What is Nate's position on water quality and pollution?
The Iowa Attorney General is the only office in the state with the power to levy serious fines when our air, water, or land is polluted. Under Iowa law, the Department of Natural Resources can only impose a maximum fine of $10,000 — it takes the attorney general to pursue heavy fines, injunctions, and criminal charges. Nate has released a plan to hold corporate polluters accountable: prosecuting polluters and seeking damages above the DNR maximum, refusing contributions from companies under investigation for polluting, publishing an annual report and public database of pollution incidents referred to the office, and notifying residents near a pollution incident when a settlement is reached. Read the full plan at Holding Corporate Polluters Accountable.
What is Nate's plan to stop wage theft?
Roughly $900 million is stolen from Iowa workers' paychecks every year through unpaid overtime, stolen tips, and off-the-clock work. Nate has released a plan to create a first-of-its-kind Wage Theft Recovery Unit inside the attorney general's office, give workers a direct hotline or online form to report violations, investigate repeat offenders for related illegal practices, pursue criminal charges against chronic bad actors rather than only civil penalties, and partner with unions, legal aid organizations, and private attorneys already handling wage claims. Because the unit would use enforcement tools that already exist under Iowa law, it could be stood up immediately without waiting on the legislature. Read the full plan at Protecting Your Paycheck.
How would Nate protect Iowa seniors?
Iowa seniors need an attorney general who will fight for them. That means stopping scams before they start, enforcing safety standards in nursing homes, and working with prosecutors to prevent fraud.
How would the attorney general's office stay independent?
Nate's attorney general's office would work with the administration while drawing legal conclusions independently. The attorney general works for the people of Iowa, not for political interests.
Who has endorsed Nate Willems?
Nate has been endorsed by the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, SEIU Healthcare MN & IA, UAW, Teamsters Local 238, the International Association of Machinists, the Carter Lake Peace Officers Association, the Sierra Club, and Justice for All PAC — along with more than 50 current and former Iowa elected officials. The full list is on the endorsements page.
Has Nate held public office before?
Yes. Nate served two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2008 to 2012, where he fought to ensure every Iowan could access a quality public education and find a good paying job, and passed key legislation to strengthen the rights of Iowa workers.
How can I volunteer or donate?
You can sign up to volunteer on the Get Involved page — options include knocking doors, making calls, hosting an event, or putting up a yard sign. Contributions can be made online through the campaign's ActBlue page, or by check to Willems for Iowa, P.O. Box 151, Mt. Vernon, IA 52314.
How do I contact the campaign?
General questions can go to info@natewillems.com, and press inquiries to press@natewillems.com. You can also use the contact form. The campaign's mailing address is Willems for Iowa, P.O. Box 151, Mt. Vernon, IA 52314.