Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidates strained to keep Tuesday’s debate civil and substantive. They drew policy contrasts with each other on national security, health care and trade, but repeatedly shifted the focus back to their common opponent: President Donald Trump. The debate came three weeks before the Iowa caucuses and just as some candidates are preparing to leave the campaign trail to serve as jurors in Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. Months of campaigning have left Democrats with a crowded top tier, and it’s unclear if the debate helped any of the candidates break out of that pack.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov Kim Reynolds is asking lawmakers to consider increasing the state sales tax by 1 cent to fund increased spending on water quality, the environment and mental health care programs. To offset the tax increase she’s proposing an income tax cut of 10% and a property tax cut. Reynolds made the proposals in her annual Condition of the State address delivered to lawmakers Tuesday. Reynolds is again calling for a constitutional amendment to allow felons to vote upon completing their sentences and an amendment declaring there is no right to an abortion under the Iowa Constitution.

DES MOINES (AP) — There was a lot of pre-debate chatter about a coming fight between Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren over Warren’s assertion that Sanders told her in 2018 that a woman couldn’t be elected president. Sanders denied it, Warren didn’t press it, and a substantive debate on a range of issues ensued. Still, after the debate, it appeared that Warren declined to shake Sanders’ hand. Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines was the final forum before the Iowa caucuses.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature has again denied press access to a liberal journalist whose blog is often critical of its policies, despite warnings from state and national groups that the restriction appears to be unconstitutional. The Iowa House and Senate informed Laura Belin, author of the Bleeding Heartland blog, that her applications for access during the session that began Monday have been rejected. The Iowa House told Belin that it does not credential journalists who are nontraditional while the Iowa Senate said it doesn’t consider Belin a member of the media. Belin says she’s considering her next steps, including an appeal or a lawsuit.