IOWA CITY, Iowa — Democrat Jackie Norris ended her campaign for Iowa’s open U.S. Senate seat Thursday, choosing to focus on her role as chair of the Des Moines public school board, especially in light of the recent arrest of Superintendent Ian Roberts by immigration authorities. Norris cited the Sept. 26 detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a significant factor that required her attention, claiming that it placed her community—and her personally—at the center of vicious and coordinated attacks. In her social media message, Norris emphasized her commitment to advocating for children, families, educators, and caregivers, stating, Those realities took time and oxygen away from the work I set out to do. Following Roberts' arrest, which raised questions regarding his employment status due to allegations of residing and working illegally in the U.S., Norris plans to oversee the transition to an interim superintendent while seeking voter approval for a substantial school improvement bond of $265 million. Her exit from the race has left a Democrat primary field primarily composed of male candidates, including state Sen. Zach Wahls, state Rep. Josh Turek, and military veteran Nathan Sage. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson faces competition from former state Sen. Jim Carlin. The upcoming election will fill the seat vacated by Sen. Joni Ernst, who announced her decision not to seek reelection, which has not significantly changed the competitive landscape for Democrats who need to gain four seats for a Senate majority. Norris, a former chief of staff for Barack Obama’s administration, began her campaign with a focus on her educational background and past roles but has had to navigate intense scrutiny following Roberts' contentious hiring. As the situation unfolds, political analysts note that Democrats are mainly targeting other states for potential gains, as most Senate races for the upcoming election are in territories that lean Republican.