Wesley Duncan

Duncan was born on December 26, 1980 in Sonora, California. His father was a 42-year employee of the United Parcel Service, as well as an active member of the Teamsters. His mother was a teacher's assistant at his high school.

After high school, Duncan stayed home to attend community college while earning an AA from Columbia College. He later transferred to University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree.

Duncan attended the Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, where he received his law degree.

After graduating from law school, Duncan was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. While serving on active duty, he deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and worked at the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. After four and a half years of active duty service, Duncan entered the Air Force Reserves. He currently serves with the 926th Wing and holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

During Duncan’s tenure, the Attorney General’s office signed Nevada onto at least two known lawsuits supporting abortion restrictions or pro-life entities in other states, including lawsuits supporting an Alabama ban on the most commonly used second-trimester abortion procedure.[5] In the Supreme Court case Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the office signed Nevada onto an amicus brief in support of a Texas TRAP law that imposed medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion clinics in order to curb the availability of abortion providers.[6] The Supreme Court found the restrictions were an unconstitutional violation of the prohibition on placing an “undue burden” on the right to obtain an abortion.[7]

The Duncan-era Attorney General’s office sent a letter to Nevada Planned Parenthood facilities questioning their abortion services and asking if they donated fetal tissue, part of a wave of investigations into videos which fueled a threat to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.[8] A U.S. District Judge issued a restraining order blocking further publication of the illicitly recorded footage, which he called “misleadingly edited videos and unfounded assertions of criminal conduct.”[9] In December 2015, the Attorney’s General office closed the inquiry, confirming the facilities do not perform surgical abortions or participate in fetal tissue donation programs.[10] On September 7, 2017, Duncan’s last day as First Assistant Attorney General,[11] the office signed Nevada onto a lawsuit urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow the release of the videos made by the anti-abortion group, whose leaders were facing felony charges in California for recording people without permission.[12] The Supreme Court declined to take up appeals by the abortion opponents and left in place the lower court’s ruling.[13]

In Duncan’s first month in office as First Assistant Attorney General, the office announced it would challenge President Barack Obama's order to shield millions from deportation and allow them to apply for work permits. Republican Governor Brian Sandoval distanced himself from the challenge by the Attorney General's Office.[14] Sandoval said that he did not think he could legally override the challenge, to which he did not consent, and that he planned to talk with the Attorney General about it.[15]

Duncan was unopposed for the 2012 Republican Primary for the 37th District. In the general election, he faced Democratic Assemblyman Marcus Conklin, who was serving as Majority Leader of the Nevada Assembly. On November 6, Duncan defeated Conklin with 14,969 votes (51.5%).[16] Duncan was named Freshman Legislator of the year for the Assembly by the Las Vegas Review Journal.

In 2014, Duncan won reelection as District 37 Assemblyman with 61.4%. However, he resigned his seat on December 4, after accepting an offer from Attorney-General-elect Adam Laxalt for appointment to the position of First Assistant Attorney General.

On November 2, 2017, Duncan announced his campaign for Attorney General of Nevada.[17] He won the Republican nomination and lost the November general election to Democrat Aaron D. Ford by less than .50%.

Duncan lives with his wife Jennifer and their two sons, and daughter.

• Official page at the Nevada Legislature
• Campaign site
• Profile at Vote Smart