Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse warned against false idols, political tribalism and an addiction to “24/7 news cycles” during a speech in Iowa Saturday night.

“Friends, there is no politician who’s going to save America,” Sasse said. “Friends, there is no election that’s going to transform your life to become so much better than it is right now and into all you want it to be.” Sasse was the featured speaker at a fundraiser in Des Moines for The Family Leader, a Christian conservative organization. Sasse told the crowd of 550 that elections can make the country “worse” or “incrementally better,” but Sasse suggested it was “almost a little bit un-American” to organize your life around two- and four-year election cycles.

)”America is made up of a people who think in decades and in centuries, not in terms of political addiction and political consumption and short-term-election ways of thinking about the world,” Sasse said. Sasse was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. He has raised the hackles of the Iowa G-O-P’s chairman — and a formal reprimand from Nebraska Republicans — for his critiques of President Trump. Sasse on Saturday described himself as a “temporary public official affiliated with the Republican Party” who is a Christian first.

“To be a good Christian, you’re obligated to be on guard against political idolatry ’cause politics isn’t the center of any our lives,” Sasse said. “Politics isn’t the pathway by which the kingdom comes and, oh by the way, it isn’t just as a Christian that you have this calling. It’s as an American that you have this calling.” State Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, was impressed. “It was amazing. I mean, it was absolutely amazing,” Holt said. “I’d never heard him speak before and I thought he did a fantastic job and a lot to think about.”

Sasse said “Lots and lots of people differ on policy debates, they just don’t think policy defines the line between good and evil…You can’t fix what’s broken in American politics with more politics.” Bob Vander Plaats is the president of The Family Leader, the group that hosted Sasse Saturday night. Vander Plaats started the evening by telling the crowd cultural change won’t be accomplished at the ballot box.

“For too long, the church was hijacked for political gain. The church was hijacked to get this candidate to win. The church was hijacked so this party could win,” Vander Plaats said. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is much bigger than any candidate and much bigger than any political party and it should not be reduced to such.” About 550 people attended the event, which was held in Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 5:25 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The city of Des Moines is expected to pay $225,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of an unarmed man killed by police in 2015. The Des Moines Register reports that the City Council is scheduled to approve the settlement agreement on Monday. Last month, the city acknowledged that a former police officer falsely told investigators she warned 28-year-old Ryan Bolinger as he approached her patrol car before she fatally shot him.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines International Airport officials are pushing to limit the number of taxi companies permitted to pick up travelers. The Des Moines register reports that taxi operators have been violating the airport’s rules by having too few drivers, using damaged vehicles, charging minimum trip fees, failing to post fee lists and only accepting cash payments. Officials plan to reduce the number of taxi companies serving the airport and request that operators apply in December.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse says Republican leaders are overstating how much passing tax-cut legislation can protect their party in next year’s elections. In Iowa for a speech Saturday night, the Nebraska Republican tells reporters that politicians in Washington, D.C., regularly pretend that every bill being debated will usher in heaven. Sasse pointed to his conservative credentials in addressing a group of evangelical conservatives, affirming his opposition to abortion rights.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa say an Ames man has died after two masked men burst into his apartment and a shot was fired. Ames police say officers were called to the man’s apartment around 3:40 a.m. Saturday for a report of a shooting. Arriving officers found a man in his 20s with a gunshot wound to his upper chest. The man was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A Colorado man was arrested Saturday afternoon in Council Bluffs, thanks to the efforts of Council Bluffs Police, Deputies with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and Agents with the FBI, working together. Authorities say that at around 2:30-p.m., Saturday, 23-year old Blake A. Newton, from Denver, CO., was into custody on several Felony warrants out of Denver Colorado for Robbery, and Intimidation Charges along with 1 Federal Warrant for Robbery as well.

Blake A. Newton

FBI Agents contacted the Council Bluffs Police Department stating that they were tracking a Violent Felony Suspect that was in the area of 3200 Manawa Center Drive by Target. Officers stood by in the area until the suspect drove to the parking lot on the side of Qdoba in the same area. Officers then approached the suspect and he was able to get back into his vehicle and led Officers on a short vehicle pursuit.

Newton started to go West on Veterans Memorial Highway, as he did this a Pottawattamie Deputy was able to perform a PIT maneuver which caused the vehicle to come to rest on top of the median. Newton then exited the vehicle and ran on foot but was taken into custody by officers a short time later as he attempted to steal another vehicle in the parking lot of 429 Veterans Memorial Highway.

Officers conducted a search of the vehicle Newton eluded officers in and found a loaded .9-mm hand gun along with a small amount of Marijuana. Newton was then transported to Pottawattamie County Corrections without further incident and was booked in for Fugitive from Justice, for the warrants out of Denver Colorado, and other local City and State Charges.

One person died during a single-vehicle rollover accident Saturday evening, in Fremont County. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports deputies responded to the scene near 120th Street and 310th Avenue – west of Randolph – a little before 5-p.m.

The Sheriff says 46-year old Chad Billings, of Emerson, was operating a tan 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, southbound on 310th Avenue, when he failed to stop at the stop sign at 120th Street. The pickup went out of lost control and entered the east ditch, where it overturned and came to rest in a field.

Billings was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to Douglas County Hospital for an autopsy. The crash is currently under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. Randolph and Tabor Fire and Rescue, Tabor Police Department, the Fremont County Medical Examiner, and the Iowa State Patrol assisted with the incident.

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — Construction has begun on the planned Riverview Surgical Center in northeastern Nebraska. Television station KTIV reports that the center is being built South Sioux City along the Missouri River, just across from Sioux City, Iowa.

Tri-State Specialists have teamed with Delta Hotel for the 52,000 square foot surgical center. The center will built adjacent to a Delta Hotels by Marriott, allowing patients who are not ready to return home to stay and recover with supervised care.

Tri-State CEO Lee Michael Hilka says the project has been in the works for nearly three years and will be a less-expensive surgical option than a traditional hospital stay.

The new center will boast $28 million in new equipment and feature four hospital-grade operating rooms.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa say an Ames man has died after two masked men burst into his apartment and a shot was fired. Ames police say officers were called to the man’s apartment around 3:40 a.m. Saturday for a report of a shooting. Arriving officers found a man in his 20s with a gunshot wound to his upper chest. The man was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told police that two people wearing masks entered the apartment in what seemed like a robbery, and one of them shot the victim. Witnesses told police the suspects sped away in a black or blue pickup truck.

Police are asking public for any information about the shooting. The victim’s name was not released pending notification of family members.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials at the Des Moines International Airport are pushing for a crackdown on the number of taxi companies permitted to pick up travelers. The Des Moines Register reports the move follows an increase in customer complaints over service.

Airport Executive Director Kevin Foley says taxi operators have been violating the airport’s rules by having too few drivers, using damaged vehicles, charging minimum trip fees, failing to post fee lists and only accepting cash payments.

Foley wants to restrict the number of taxi companies registered for airport pickups to two. He says a limit would allow airport officials to respond quickly to issues. It could also protect riders from unfair fees and unsafe vehicles.

Airport officials plan to request applications in December from companies that want to serve the airport.

A Council Bluffs man was arrested on a robbery charge on Friday night after taking another man’s cell phone. At 8:59pm Council Bluffs Police responded to the area of 829 2nd Avenue regarding a Robbery. Officers arrived on scene and made contact with the victim, Gary Vohs. Vohs claimed that he was approached by Shane Vancleave who wanted him to got to another residence with him. When Vohs refused, Vancleave head-butted him in the forehead causing a cut and stole his cell phone and charger. Officers later located Vancleave and he had the cell phone and charger in his possession. He was then arrested for 2nd Degree Robbery.

Jacob Corbett

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Sidney man on Friday night after a traffic stop. At 10:30pm Deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 1700 block of Highway 275. After investigation 27-year-old Jacob Corbett of Sidney was arrested for Driving While Barred, Possession of Methamphetamine 2nd Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Corbett was taken to the Fremont County Law Enforcement Center and held on $4,300 cash bond.

w/ Chris Parks

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