Iran conflict creating ‘hesitance’ among GOP lawmakers: Sarah Bedford
The Washington Examiner reports that as Operation Epic Fury-an American-Israeli military effort in Iran-enters its second week,there is notable hesitance and risk aversion among GOP lawmakers ahead of the midterm elections. While some Republicans, like sen. Lindsey Graham,back U.S.involvement, others worry the conflict could be unpopular with President Trump and national voters, prompting a shift toward domestic messaging-especially affordability-rather than foreign policy. Key leaders such as Senate Minority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are steering the party toward focusing on bipartisan domestic priorities, including a housing bill and DHS funding, to avoid jeopardizing political standing. Sarah Bedford notes that Republicans are broadly playing it safe in winnable races and worry that sharp moves on iran could hurt voters’ perceptions, particularly if fuel prices rise or inflation worsens. Polls Fox numbers cited in the piece show limited public support for the war: about half oppose the operation, with even higher opposition to sending U.S. ground troops, and a majority did not view Iran as an imminent threat before the campaign began.
Iran conflict creating ‘hesitance’ among GOP lawmakers before midterm elections: Sarah Bedford
Washington Examiner investigations editor Sarah Bedford said Wednesday that some Republican leaders want to shift to “affordability messaging” rather than the Iran conflict ahead of the midterm elections.
The United States is almost two weeks into Operation Epic Fury, its joint military operation with Israel in Iran, and President Donald Trump said at the start of the conflict that it would take approximately four weeks. Bedford highlighted that some Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), are actively in favor of the U.S. involvement in this operation, but there is still “a lot of hesitance, risk aversion” among Republicans about the conflict being unpopular with Trump.
“You had [Senate Majority Leader John] Thune, [House Majority Speaker Mike] Johnson (R-LA), other party leaders who really wanted to see a pivot to affordability messaging and things like that ahead of the midterms,” Bedford said on the Hugh Hewitt Show. “They don’t want something that, one, takes the focus off of that messaging, but also might actively hurt, sort of, conditions on the ground for voters, [like] if you see prices at the pump going up, if you see inflation go up as a result of the war.”
“So most Republicans are really approaching this with skepticism over their political fears,” Bedford said.
She also said Republicans are “overall” trying to “play it safe on winnable fights.” She added that the steps they are taking include pushing a bipartisan housing bill in the Senate and funding the Department of Homeland Security.
TRUMP DOESN’T KNOW IF IRAN WAR WILL NAB HIM ELUSIVE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
Trump has been adamant on passing the SAVE America Act voter identification bill, vowing that he won’t sign any other bill until it is passed. He has called on Thune (R-SD) to be a “leader” and pass the bill.
Trump is dealing with polling data showing a lack of support for U.S. involvement in Iran, with one poll on Monday showing that 53% of voters oppose the operation against Iran. The poll also said 74% of voters oppose sending U.S. ground troops into Iran, and 55% didn’t think Iran posed an imminent military threat to the U.S. before Operation Epic Fury began.
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