US Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday blamed the ongoing war with Iran for the Republican Party’s heavy losses in the midterm elections, in which Democrats regained control of both chambers of Congress.
In a lengthy post on X, Vance said the conflict was the primary reason voters who had supported President Donald Trump and him in 2024 switched to Democratic candidates.
“The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night,” Vance wrote. “If you’d like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that’s at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”
Vance said many former Trump-Vance voters cast ballots for Democrats for four main reasons: to end the war with Iran, focus on the cost of living and inflation, put America first, and change the US relationship with Israel.
“Our voters showed up,” he added. “And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats.”
President Trump later said he largely agreed with Vance’s assessment that the war contributed to the defeats, but maintained he would take the same action again.
“It drove the gasoline up a little bit short term and probably that’s, probably it’s true. But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I’d have to do it again, because long term, it’s the only answer. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear war,” Trump said.
The midterm results handed Democrats majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, marking a significant setback for the Republican Party two years into Trump’s second term.
