Republican hopefuls blame Iran war and tariffs for midterm defeat

Republican presidential hopefuls for 2028 cited the Iran war and tariffs as main reasons for the party's defeat in the US midterm elections, The Guardian reports. The Democrats' overwhelming victory on November 3 left Republicans in shock as they seek to explain the support collapse. Vice President JD Vance, former Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz pointed to Americans' dissatisfaction with the high cost of living. Other causes included Trump's prolonged war against Iran, aggressive trade policy, US-Israel relations, and Democratic ads portraying conservative candidates negatively. Cruz said tariffs made everything too expensive and the Iran war dragged on too long. DeSantis called the election a near-extinction event for the party, also citing the failure to release Jeffrey Epstein files. The midterms showed Trump's diminished influence, with several endorsed incumbents losing. Democrats secured record majorities in both congressional chambers, with the new Congress starting January 3, 2027.