Iowa Republicans Begin Sounding Alarm on Iran War as a Senate Race and Two House Seats Fall Into Toss-Up Territory

Iowa Republicans are sounding the alarm with just six weeks to go until the midterm elections, saying that the Iran war is putting an especially significant squeeze on farm country. In a state President Trump won by double digits, there is now a real risk for the GOP that they lose the governor’s mansion, a Senate race, and as many as three House seats. The war with Iran has contributed to a significant drop in popularity for the president, even among those voters who turned out for him in large numbers in 2024. In February, before the American and Israeli strikes began, Mr. Trump was two points underwater in Iowa, according to one Morning Consult survey. Now, according to a poll from Civiqs, Mr. Trump is 21 points underwater — a 23-point swing in just over seven months. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a sharp spike in costs for farmers working in the state’s agriculture industry. As of Monday, according to the AAA gas prices tracker, the cost of diesel in Iowa is higher than it has ever been at $6.32 per gallon. Just one year ago, a gallon of diesel cost only $3.54 in the state. The crisis is now leading vulnerable Republicans to begin calling out Mr. Trump and the White House directly. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, the Republican candidate in this year’s U.S. Senate race, said Monday that the war with Iran must be wound down immediately. Over the last seven months, Ms. Hinson had voted against multiple House resolutions directing Mr. Trump to end the war.“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” Ms. Hinson wrote in a statement on X, calling for suspending the gas tax, ending diesel exports, and reimplementing a tax credit for biodiesel, among other things. “These actions to lower costs are needed ASAP, and the war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end.Before the war began, Ms. Hinson held a small yet consistent lead over her Democratic opponent, state representative Josh Turek. Every polling aggregator now shows a toss-up race, with either Ms. Hinson or Mr. Turek leading the other by only one point or less. In a statement, Mr. Turek argued Ms. Hinson’s call for an end to the war was disingenuous, given she has voted several times to sustain military operations. “You voted seven times to continue it, including just last week. It’s time to actually end the forever wars and put Iowa and Iowans first,” Mr. Turek said Monday. “Glad you’re finally following my lead after waffling on the proposals I put forward last week to address the rising costs of the war in Iran.”Senator Chuck Grassley — himself a working farmer — has also called for an embargo on diesel exports in an effort to reduce costs for Iowa farmers. Experts warn that the proposal wouldn’t do much, however. The pro-free market Pelican Institute wrote in a recent piece that ending the export of American diesel would do nothing to bring down costs. Rather, it would lead to significant logistical challenges and the offshoring of some American refinery jobs. “This is price-control logic wearing an ‘energy security’ costume, and we’ve seen this movie before,” the group wrote. “Whether it’s rent control, wage caps, or the credit card interest rate cap Washington flirted with earlier this year, government intervention in prices always produces the same result: less supply, not more, because you can’t repeal the law of supply and demand by executive order.”Two other House Republicans from Iowa have also begun pushing for an end to the war after spending months defending Mr. Trump’s military operations. Congressman Zach Nunn and Congresswoman Marianette Miller-Meeks both surprised colleagues last week when they voted for a war powers resolution which would force Mr. Trump to seek congressional authorization for additional military activities. “Americans do not want another forever war,” Dr. Miller-Meeks said in a statement after the vote. “I will not vote to keep our soldiers in an open-ended war, with Iowans paying too much at the pump. The Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions have been defanged. The President needs to present a plan to Congress and the American people for how this ends.”Mr. Nunn offered a similar explanation, saying in a statement that Iowans and all Americans deserved oversight of the war. “Congress owes them, their families, and every American in uniform clear objectives and constitutional oversight,” Mr. Nunn said. “We can defend Americans, pressure Iran, and pursue peace while ensuring Congress fulfills its constitutional responsibility.”Both Dr. Miller-Meeks and Mr. Nunn are considered top targets by Democrats in the midterms this year.

Iowa Republicans Begin Sounding Alarm on Iran War as a Senate Race and Two House Seats Fall Into Toss-Up Territory

Iowa Republicans Begin Sounding Alarm on Iran War as a Senate Race and Two House Seats Fall Into Toss-Up Territory

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