Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris became the latest candidate to join the race for U.S. Senate Tuesday, saying she wants to focus on family issues like child care, education and housing.
Norris, a Democrat, has a long history in politics, both in Washington, D.C., and Iowa. She worked as chief of staff for former first lady Michelle Obama and for a nonprofit run by former President George H.W. Bush, as well as on the campaigns of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and former President Barack Obama. Now, she is chair of the Des Moines school board and president of Horizon Group, a market research and consulting firm.
Her choice to run for Senate came largely from her experiences outside of politics, Norris said in an interview, from her time as a school board member, and formerly as a teacher and as the CEO of Goodwill of Central Iowa.
“I’ve seen firsthand the invisible burdens that families are carrying right now,” Norris said. “It is so hard for our young people, when government cuts programs for hungry kids, when it’s harder to access children’s health care, and (when) child care workers are paid, you know, not enough and have to work two jobs to take care of our young people. Government has turned its back on families. And the red versus blue politics and yelling is not working right now. It’s not getting anything done, and quite honestly, nobody’s held accountable.”
Norris said she is able to offer a new vision as a candidate who is “not afraid to get out there and say what I think, roll up my sleeves and fight, have the grit, take my experiences and get things done in the U.S. Senate.”
Norris is competing for the Democratic nomination against state Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville; state Rep. J.D. Scholten, D-Sioux City, and the former Knoxville Chamber of Commerce Director Nathan Sage for the party nomination. Other candidates may also join the race — the Des Moines Register reported state Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, is also preparing to announce a bid for the seat in August.
But Norris said she is uniquely positioned as a strong contender for the job, with extensive experience in fields like education and community service, as well as working directly with both Democrats and Republicans.
If elected to the U.S. Senate, Norris said she is prepared to find ways to work with President Donald Trump and Republicans in order to accomplish meaningful policies.
“Americans are going to believe in government again if they actually see us putting them ahead of our party loyalties. And look, in Iowa, Trump was elected, and so, I’m going to work with whatever strange bedfellows I need to, to accomplish good things for Iowa. So whether that’s addressing some of the uncertainty with our tariffs, whether that’s making sure we restore health access to our veterans … that is what people should expect of us, is that we are not just yelling at each other, but we’re actually getting things done for them.”
The seat is currently held by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican. Ernst has not announced whether she is running for reelection in 2026, though she hired a campaign manager and has received encouragement from GOP leadership to seek another term.
Ernst had gained national attention in May for her comment “well, we all are going to die” at a town hall when responding to a person who said Medicaid cuts included in the budget reconciliation bill would result in deaths. Norris said this statement was “troubling,” as was her decision to confirm U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
While the Iowa Republican has been criticized from the right for expressing concerns about Hegseth during the nomination process, she ultimately voted to confirm him. But Norris said Ernst’s vote to support Hegseth shows a “loss of integrity,” as Ernst, a combat veteran and survivor of sexual assault, has been a major advocate for making changes to how the U.S. military works with women in the service and handles sexual assault cases.
Hegseth has been accused of sexual assault, as well as facing other allegations about public intoxication and corporate mismanagement.
“I’m a military mom, I appreciate and respect her commitment to service, but when you cut programs to the very veterans you’ve served beside, I think you’ve lost your way,” Norris said of Ernst. “And if you stay silent when women in uniform are disrespected by the secretary of Defense, I think you’ve lost your way.”
Norris said Iowans can expect to see her in the coming months holding roundtable discussions and having conversations about issues like health care and child care affordability with the people impacted by recent policies.
“Most importantly, what I think you’re going to see from me is hard work, listening and getting out there and taking a few risks and talking about the things that are really important to people,” Norris said.
Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris launched her campaign for the U.S. Senate Aug. 5, 2025. (Photo courtesy Norris campaign)
