Brenna Bird may fly all the way to Terrace Hill

Iowa Republicans have taken up a new hobby — Bird watching.

No, they’re not out looking for the rare tundra bean goose or the pine grosbeak.

They’re searching for the Gubernatorial Brenna Bird, an elusive species that will probably become much more common in 2026.

Yep, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is going to run for the Republican nomination for governor. She has given us many hints and glimpses of her plumage, which looks a lot like a bright red hat.

At an Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition shindig, she asked for prayers.

“It means a lot to us, and you know, we've got a fight ahead of us,” Bird said.

“I will fight for Iowa, and we will fight alongside each other as we work to make America great again,” Bird said.

In May, she released a video including President Donald Trump famously saying of Bird on caucus night, “she’s going to be your governor someday, I predict.” The video ends with the word “someday.” Chills, and not the good kind.

“Over the last several weeks, Bob and I have received encouragement from Iowans across the state and we're so grateful for their support," Bird said in a statement to the Des Moines Register. "Running for governor isn’t a decision to be made lightly. We look forward to sharing our plans soon for an exciting 2026.”

Yeah, she’s running.

And when Bird gets in, she will be the Republican front-runner.

Her not-so-secret weapon is the fact Bird is easily the Trumpiest Trumper in a state that’s Trumpier than most. While all the Iowa GOP cool kids were taking a 2024 DeSantis out for a test drive during the caucus campaign, Bird stuck with Trump early and often.

She even showed up in a Manhattan criminal courtroom to offer Trump support as he faced charges tied to his effort to keep Stormy Daniels from spilling the beans about their sexual encounters. He was convicted on 34 felony counts, not that anyone seems to care.

And since Trump won the election and took office, Bird has operated like an in-house legal counsel for his administration, defending his agenda in court, usually along with a lengthy list of red state attorneys general. They fly together in vast flocks.

Bird, for instance, is leading a 20-state group defending Trump’s executive order banning birthright citizenship for babies born in the U.S. to undocumented parents.

“No one should be rewarded for breaking the law,” Bird said.

Bird also celebrated an Iowa federal court ruling that tossed out Biden-era nursing home staffing rules. Nursing homes, under the rules, would have been required to have a registered nurse on duty 24 hours a day. Bird parroted the nursing home industry claim the requirements would cause facilities to close.

Bird and 25 of her Republican colleagues also issued a joint statement supporting Trump’s use of federalized National Guard troops in response to immigration protests in California.

“We will always defend the right to peacefully protest, but there’s nothing peaceful about arson, assault, and anarchy,” Bird said in a statement. “In California, we’re seeing the results of leadership that excuses lawlessness and undermines law enforcement.”

Bird joined the legal offensive to gut Waters of the U.S. rules that sought to protect scores of wetlands. The Supreme Court tossed the rules to Bird’s delight.

Now, she’s asking the Trump administration to create new rules that give states control of water regulation.

Bird, as a part of the 20-state coalition, has tried to push Costco to drop its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. She called on the retailer to “do the right thing.” Costco has, instead, continued to embrace DEI.

The same 20 usual suspects also are defending the slash and burn tactics of DOGE. She accused critics of Elon “Chain Saw” Musk of “weaponizing lawsuits” to thwart efforts to “cut federal waste.”

Bird also is leading a 16-state coalition supporting the Trump administration’s denial of federal funding to Harvard University, claiming antisemitism and discrimination on campus.

So, Bird has struck blows against clean water, environmental protection, birthright citizenship, better staffing in nursing homes, DEI, Costco, California protests and Harvard University.

Guaranteeing inadequate nursing home staff is a “victory.” We can’t excuse lawlessness unless the president does it. It’s pro-life to deport but not to abort.

Private companies should surrender to intimidation from government officials. We can’t have clean water because it would be too much of a bother for farmers and developers.

The National Guard should be sent to stop protests in California, but not to stop an attack on the Capitol. DOGE found billions in waste, except that it probably didn’t. University funding should be contingent on punishing speech.

Maybe you love Bird’s record. Or maybe not. But she’s riding on the Trump train, no matter what happens, come hell or dirty water.

And she has an excellent chance of soaring all the way to a lofty perch at Terrace Hill. No ornithologist can explain it.

(319) 398-8262; todd.dorman@thegazette.com