Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, joined colleagues from the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday in calling for the Air Force to delay plans to take the A-10 Warthog out of service.

A-10 “WartHog”

Fellow Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire led the news conference that included Ernst and says the Air Force has given conflicting stories about why it wants to retire the A-10. Ernst, a member of the Iowa National Guard who has served in Iraq, says the plane is a key support tool for troops on the ground.

“My colleagues and I are not here today to fight for a piece of equipment, what we are doing today is fighting for the very lives of our men and women that are serving on the ground in these dangerous areas,” Ernst says. The Air Force says newer planes can do the job of the A-10, but Ernst and the other senators disagree.

“I have heard over and over and over again from many colleagues that they would not be here today, with us, if it weren’t for the A-10,” Ernst says. “We do not have a comparable platform at this time. And bottom line again, we’re not fighting for a piece of equipment, we’re fighting for the lives of our American men and women.” Ernst was asked about the need to modernize the equipment used by the military. She says is interested in modernizing the equipment, but that’s not needed in the case of the A-10.

“Like many folks will say ‘if it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ We have a platform that works and is relied upon by so many of our fighters on the ground. So, if it’s working, it’s something we need to support,” according to Ernst. Ernst and others say the A-10 is key in the fight against ISIS. Arizona Senator John McCain, the chair of the committee, also spoke at the news conference.

Of the less than three-dozen votes cast during a special election held Tuesday, in Griswold, a majority of those who took the time to cast their ballot, voted in favor of a public measure that reduces the Mayor’s term from four-years, to two.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports 32 ballots were cast during the election, with 28 of the 32 approving the measure. The results of Tuesday’s election will become official when the votes are canvassed by the Cass County Board of Supervisors.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A jury has found a 20-year-old Denison man guilty of killing two elderly people and trying to burn their bodies. Jurors delivered the guilty verdict to Jayden Chapman, convicting him of two counts of first-degree murder and reckless use of fire in the deaths of 80-year-old Marvin Huesling and 81-year-old Alice Huisenga.

MOSCOW, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a southeast Iowa man and the horse he was riding were killed by a lightning strike. The Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office says 35-year-old William J. “Billy” Clevenger and his horse died when they were struck by lightning near Moscow in rural Muscatine County.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Turkey farmer Greg Langmo says he knew right away when the flock that usually clustered around him turned lethargic that his Minnesota farm had been struck by the bird flu that has shaken the poultry industry. Langmo lost more than 30,000 turkeys at his farm near Litchfield, and expects to lose well over $100,000 even after partial government compensation. The bird flu has affected nearly 28 million chickens and turkeys at over 100 Midwest farms, mostly in Minnesota and Iowa. Langmo plans to cut expenses until he can start raising and marketing turkeys again. But he says if his bank account runs dry first, he’s finished.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad wants to end to a perplexing abortion restriction adopted in Iowa two years ago. The Republican governor’s proposed Health and Human Services budget doesn’t renew a requirement that he sign off on any payments for publicly funded abortions. Lawmakers adopted that policy, which effectively halted state reimbursements for abortion under Medicaid because providers stopped submitting the claims.