Election 2016:

Over the course of the 2016 caucus cycle, I was able to attend a number of events with Republican presidential candidates, such as the Republican Party of Iowa’s first ever Growth and Opportunity Party, a number of luncheons and town halls, and the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s fall dinner. With 17 candidates in the race at some point, there were a number of opportunities to talk about the important issues with them face-to-face.

I went to many events knowing I was going to ask the candidates about something I care about — the production of the F-35 aircraft and its impact on the military.

We should always want military personnel stationed overseas to feel safe and secure. Our nation has done a remarkable job at consistently doing whatever it takes to give our service men and women the best technology in order to keep them as safe as possible. When I was serving in the Air Force, I looked at our achievements with a tremendous amount of pride and respect.

Why has this been a certainty for such a long time? Our nation has made sure to stay on top of things when it comes to providing the best technology to our military.

Right now, we have the world’s most advanced, multi-role aircraft waiting in the wings: the F-35 Lightning II. It is six times more effective in air-to-air combat and five times more in air-to-ground than the current legacy fighters we employ today. With these significant advantages, it seems like we’re already light years ahead of potential threats.

I was very pleased to be able to discuss the F-35 with a number of candidates while they campaigned in Iowa. I was even more pleased to hear that all of the candidates I spoke with were not only aware of the positive benefits the aircraft could provide to our military, they were extremely supportive of it.

We need our elected officials in Washington to support continued production of the F-35, so that our troops can accomplish their missions overseas and return home safely. I am proud to have Senator Joni Ernst representing Iowa in Congress as the first female combat veteran in the U.S. Senate. I am even more proud to know that she too supports the F-35 aircraft, and hope the rest of her colleagues on the Veterans Affairs Committee follow suit.