Newcomer Brenna Findley (R) is challenging incumbent Tom Miller (D) for Iowa attorney general in this year’s general election. The Iowa attorney general is an elected office of four-year terms that are decided by popular election.

Iowa Code defines the attorney general as “provides legal counsel and direction to the state by participation in cases before the courts where the state has an interest and by formulating written opinions to state officers and county attorneys on questions of state law of public importance.”

An attorney general is the chief legal advisor to the state and chief law enforcement officer. The attorney general also represents the state and its officers in criminal and juvenile court, along with representing consumers in utility rate cases.

Miller has been Iowa attorney general since 1978, excluding between 1991 and 1994, when he had unsuccessfully run for governor. In his period out of office, he briefly returned to private practice and was succeeded by Bonnie Campbell (D).

Miller is an Iowa native who, after graduating from Harvard Law School, worked for the nonprofit law firm Baltimore Legal Aid, and taught part-time at Maryland School of Law. He later returned to Iowa to become city attorney for Marquette and McGregor, and soon was elected to Iowa attorney general .

Miller is a fierce advocate against crime and works for victim compensation and improvement in the juvenile justice system. He also established the nation’s first Farm Division in an attorney general’s office in order to protect farms against large agribusinesses and insulate them from crop and seed failure.

He will be campaigning for the remaining days until the election and is expecting favorable results for next week’s polls.

“I feel good about the election. I think we’ve run a good campaign. I feel like the office has served Iowans well,” Miller said.

However, he still has plans to continue his work to investigate the recent foreclosures, protect consumers and to prevent crimes and fraud against the elderly.

“In my view, it’s just a huge unfinished agenda for me and my office,” he said. “I think we can do for Iowans … things we’ve never done before. There’s an awful lot to be done and I hope to get the chance do it.”

Miller’s strongest criticism against his opponent was her minimal experience as a practicing attorney and extensive involvement in partisan politics. He was proud of his time in office and emphasized the importance of non-partisanship and honesty he worked to promote.

Findley is also an Iowa native with Midwestern values. She graduated from Drake University, and later the University of Chicago Law School where she worked with aspiring entrepreneurs and volunteered at the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship.

She is currently working in private practice and has previously served as chief of staff under Congressman Steve King (R).

Findley was not available for comment.