Republicans autopsy midterm debacle: blame cast on Iran war, soaring costs

Washington (EFE).- The Republican Party is conducting an autopsy of Tuesday’s midterm debacle as a growing chorus of voices points to the war in Iran and the rising cost of living as key drivers behind the sweeping Democratic victory in Congress.

President Donald Trump, who had urged his base to vote as if he were on the ballot, quickly distanced himself from the results on election night by noting he wasn’t running. Polls, however, indicate a clear protest vote against the Republican administration.

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, whose seat was not up for election, stated on a podcast that it «was not simply a bad 2006 midterm election,» but rather «a Watergate-level repudiation,» referencing the 1974 scandal that led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

«Food is too high, gas is too high, diesel is too high, insurance is too high, life is too high,» the senator said, lamenting that many of his colleagues «didn’t understand or they didn’t care.»

In Texas, where Democrat James Talarico won a Senate seat on Tuesday to become the first Democrat to do so in nearly 40 years, Cruz argued that the Republican Party must «champion economic policies that make a real difference in working people’s lives.»

The two factions over the Iran War

Among the first to blame the unpopular war in Iran (which has driven up gas prices) was Vice President JD Vance, who aims to retain the support of the MAGA base ahead of a potential 2028 presidential bid.

«The reason we lost is the war,» Vance wrote in a lengthy post on X, lamenting that internal party data showed the main issue was not low Republican turnout, but rather that many 2024 Trump voters switched to Democrats this time.

The analysis has reignited tension between the party’s two main factions: non-interventionist MAGA figures like Vance, and traditional foreign policy hawks favoring a firm stance and regime change.

Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for George W. Bush, countered Vance by arguing that the issue was not entering the war, but failing to crush the Islamic Republic: «If you start a war, you need to win it and finish it, otherwise don’t start it.,» he said.

Trump acknowledged voters punished the party over the Iran conflict, but maintained he would launch the offensive again, stating he prioritizes preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, an outcome he claims to have achieved.

The future of Pete Hegseth

Against this backdrop, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s position is increasingly precarious, driven by ongoing controversies and his prominent role advocating for the war.

While media leaks suggest Trump is considering leadership changes at the Pentagon (including replacing Hegseth) the president publicly dismissed the reports Thursday on ABC News, stating, «I have every intention to keep him.»

Outgoing Congressman Thomas Massie, a Republican critical of Trump, called to revive a resolution he introduced before the elections aimed at ousting Hegseth.

Massie advised Trump on Thursday to make the replacement immediately, before the incoming Democratic Senate majority takes over in January and gains leverage over nominations.

The race to 2028

The midterm outcome ushers in a new phase: the early campaign for the 2028 presidential election, in which Trump is constitutionally barred from running.

Beyond Vance, Republican attention is also turning to Marco Rubio, who remains broadly popular across the party for his tenure as Secretary of State.

According to The Independent, Rubio, who previously ran for the nomination in 2016, is considering stepping down from his post to create distance from Trump before launching a bid, a report the State Department labeled «fake news.»

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich noted that the Republican primary field is «wide open» following Tuesday’s results, adding that the degree of support for Rubio over Vance is «staggering.» EFE

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