GIVE ‘EM THE BIRD*
BACK THE BLUE IN SCOTT COUNTY
A Democrat has held the Iowa Attorney General (AG) position since 1979 and have used it as a liberal cudgel and bully pulpit advancing liberal public policy nostrums. They have failed to defend legitimate accomplishments of Republican state legislatures and collapsed any trust that under their leadership the AG office would be effective in doing so.
Democrat Tom Miller is, and Bonnie Cambell in her interlude as AG are/were beyond political hacks — the AG office under them became a partisan Democrat law firm interested in sustaining Democrat enactments and subverting Republicans. At 78 years old Miller is running again even though he “quietly quit” years ago.
A Democrat has held the Scott County Attorney’s position since 1978, In that time the office was populated by two dependable hacks “surviving” over the years due to lack of opposition from Republicans or the party’s neglect of those who did run. Both Bill Davis (who resigned under a cloud) and Mike Walton (now retiring) while being adept at good old boy politics, carried water for the cause enough to enjoy immunity from strident Soros funded types pursuing a primary challenge. Johnson and Polk county and two or three other counties in the state are/were even easier plumbs for the picking. But now the Scott County position is an open seat.
The most qualified person running in each race is the Republican.
Experienced Republican prosecutors Brenna Bird for Iowa AG and and Kelly Cunningham-Haan for Scott County Attorney are seeking to undo the Democrat hold on those offices. Democrats have been able to hold onto those offices for so long because of machine politics helped by a dominant Democrat favoring press but mostly the electorates regrettable inattention to such offices. In such situations (until scandal hits as it did with Davis) name ID is important. Once you are in you are likely in for a long time, whatever ones party registration, short of a wave election favoring the other party. Here’s to hoping a Republican wave is in the offing.
Both Republican candidates have great credentials and have substantial winds behind them because of their experience and a level of public awareness about them. That, combined with their opponents having to live with being Democrats, ought to be used to bring them to victory. That is if they emphasize their opponents are after all Democrats (are you listening ladies?).
In the case of long-time incumbent Tom Miller we detect a level of fedupness among the electorate with him personally because people are just plain tired of his being focused on lawfare in pursuit of the liberal agenda.
His opponent Brenna Bird is an elected county attorney now who actually has criminal trial experience as a prosecutor. State AGs take people to court. Brenna Bird makes the point that Tom Miller has not been in a court room in 18 years, perhaps choosing to administer the lawfare we mentioned . . . or . . . as others have suggested, at age 78 now “quietly quit” some years ago while serving as the familiar name on the ballot while populating his office with liberal activists.
By the way Miller’s Wiki indicates pretty much the sum total of his legal experience is as the AG weenie. He had limited experience as a lawyer and small town (part-time) city attorney (which generally do not do trial work). We note from our own activities that he received pro-life support in his early runs but long ago set his course with the most ardent of pro-abortion extremist doctrine.
It is astonishing, and compelling for Brenna Bird, that after all the years Miller has been in office his support in the law enforcement community is so weak. Brenna Bird rightly touts that she has received the endorsement of 73 Iowa Sheriffs out of 99 in the state. They see her record as a prosecutor defending Iowa law. That 73 includes some Democrats. Some of the other sheriffs do not make endorsements of any sort.
Cunningham-Haan has many years of experience as a prosecutor in the very office she seeks to lead enjoying a good reputation with police departments in the county as one who vigorously defends law and order. The Democrat nominee is currently in the County Attorney office. With comparatively little experience all one needs to know is that he is a Democrat. Sensible constitution oriented people are not part of that party.
Both Republican candidates will be excellent at fulfilling the duties of the offices they seek. Our critique of them relates to electoral messaging. Brenna Bird needs to update her Web site and include comparatives and arguments for her election and at least some of the information she places in her social media presence which consists of Facebook but which for some reason is not linked to from her Web site. While there is a social media link, much the same is true of Cunningham-Haan, except she needs to keep both current (see here an here) . We do appreciate that Cunningham-Haan as a working attorney and prosecutor running for county office does not have the staff to constantly maintain such things.
*Brenna Bird’s website and mailers have adopted the GIVE ‘EM THE BIRD slogan.
