Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Steve King likes to note that President Donald Trump has referred to him as “the world’s most conservative human being,” but the Iowa congressman is bracing for what could be his toughest campaign since taking office 16 years ago. The challenge isn’t from a Democrat, but from a conservative state legislator who announced he’d seek the Republican nomination in the sprawling 4th District, saying voters needed an effective leader rather than “more sideshows and distractions.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa GOP legislative leaders say they plan to go into the 2019 session challenging the way things are done in state government several issues including property taxes and picking judges. Senate Republican leader Jack Whitver said Thursday at a legislative forum hosted by The Associated Press that Iowans expressed confidence in his party by returning it to power again and that means keeping campaign promises.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are criticizing a fellow GOP lawmaker for making what they say are “racist” comments. Rep. Steve King of Iowa was quoted in The New York Times saying, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization _ how did that language become offensive?” Rep. Liz Cheney tweets that King’s remarks are “abhorrent and racist and should have no place in our national discourse.” Rep. Justin Amash says, “This is an embrace of racism, and it has no place in Congress or anywhere.”

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa workplace safety inspectors were fired in what they are calling retaliation for blowing the whistle on a hostile environment inside their agency. The firings of Jason Garmoe and Travis Stein are the latest turmoil at the Division of Labor, which has been rocked by personnel turnover and accusations of cronyism and harassment. The agency accused both of misconduct that included leaving a state vehicle running for two hours while conducting an inspection _ an allegation they call false.

A Red Oak woman was arrested on a domestic assault charge on Thursday afternoon. At 3:40pm Red Oak Police arrested 24-year-old Mariah June Clark of Red Oak in the 800 block of Ratliff Road. Clark is being charged with Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on no bond.

(Radio Iowa) — State officials say if there is a prolonged shutdown of federal agencies like the U-S-D-A, they may shore up state programs run in conjunction with the federal government. Governor Kim Reynolds spoke today (Thursday) at a statehouse forum organized by The Associated Press. “I’m proud of the fact we do things differently here in Iowa. I think Iowans don’t like what they see happening out in Washington, D.C.,” Reynolds said. “…They like the fact that, for the most part, two parties are able to work together to put Iowans first.”

Reynolds told reporters her budget director checks every day with state agencies that may be impacted by a federal government shutdown to ensure “essential services” are provided to Iowans. “Right now, we’re in pretty good shape. We’re hoping that they can get something done,” Reynolds said. “Who knows, right now, what that looks like, but we’ll continue to monitor it.” Legislative leaders say there’s no need for action now, but they’ll re-evaluate if the the federal government shutdown lasts for months.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake, says the election’s over, it’s time to get to work.  “I don’t want to speculate too far into the future,” Upmeyer told reporters at today’s AP forum, “but we need people to get busy and solve their problems, find solutions, compromise and get this job done.” House Democratic Leader Todd Prichard of Charles City says if the state eventually has to “fill voids” in federal spending, that may create budget headaches.  “I think the situation in DC shows the importance of Iowa having sound budgeting principles and practices and being in a position where we can deal with the unexpected,” Prichard told reporters at the AP forum,” whether it’s a federal shutdown (or) whether it’s a sudden downturn in the economy.”

The food stamp program is a joint state-federal program, run through the U-S-D-A, which is shuttered. The U-S Ag Secretary has said there’s enough money to provide benefits in February if the shutdown continues. Janet Petersen of Des Moines, the Democratic leader in the Iowa Senate, says if the shutdown lasts longer, state officials need to act. “I can’t imagine that we wouldn’t assure Iowans that we will make sure they can put food on the table if things in DC are still going horribly wrong,” Petersen says. “Iowans deserve to know that they’ll be able to feed their families.”

The State of Iowa ended the last budgeting year with a surplus. Estimates indicate there’s a 200-million dollar cushion in the current year’s state budget. That’s in addition to the state’s economic emergency funds.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Thursday criticized a fellow GOP lawmaker for making what they said were “racist” comments. Rep. Steve King of Iowa was quoted in The New York Times saying, “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?”

The comment drew a denunciation from a member of House Republican leadership. Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the No. 3 Republican, said King’s remarks were “abhorrent and racist and should have no place in our national discourse.” Another Republican, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, tweeted, “This is an embrace of racism, and it has no place in Congress or anywhere.”

King later issued a statement saying he is neither a white nationalist nor a white supremacist. “I reject those labels and the evil ideology that they define. Further, I condemn anyone that supports this evil and bigoted ideology which saw in its ultimate expression the systematic murder of 6 million innocent Jewish lives,” he said. “Under any fair political definition, I am simply a Nationalist.”

It’s not the first time some Republicans have denounced King, nor the first time King has said his intent is to defend “Western civilization.” “We can’t restore our civilization with somebody else’s babies,” he tweeted in 2017. Then he doubled down on CNN, telling the network, “I’d like to see an America that’s just so homogeneous that we look a lot the same.”

King’s standing in the Republican Party was imperiled even before his latest remarks. Just ahead of last year’s midterm elections, the chairman of the House GOP’s campaign arm issued an extraordinary public denunciation of him. “Congressman Steve King’s recent comments, actions, and retweets are completely inappropriate,” tweeted Ohio Rep. Steve Stivers, then the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee. “We must stand up against white supremacy and hate in all forms, and I strongly condemn this behavior.”

Despite the criticism, King narrowly won re-election in November. But he’s already facing a challenge from within his own party in the next election. Randy Feenstra, a Republican state senator, announced Wednesday that he plans to run against King in 2020. King has represented the district since 2013.