Exit Poll: Iran War Was ‘Crucial Or Major’ Factor For 3 In 4 Voters

As Republicans see electoral losses across the country, about 74 percent of voters said the Iran war was a “crucial or major” factor in their vote for Congress, and Democrats won 63 percent of those voters, according to NBC exit polls.

Only 26 percent said the war was a “minor factor or not a factor,” 70 percent of whom voted Republican and 28 percent of whom voted Democrat.

The divide on the war became even greater when voters were asked whether the Trump administration made the “right decision” or “wrong decision” on “military action against Iran. Over all, 37 percent said it was the “right decision,” 91 percent of whom voted Republican and 7 percent of whom voted Democrat, whereas 63 percent said it was the “wrong decision,” 82 percent of whom voted Democrat and 16 percent of whom voted Republican.

The Iran war was proposed to the American people as a short campaign that would last only weeks. When asked earlier this year about the war’s effect on the midterms, House Speaker Mike Johnson said it would be “wrapped up soon” and that it would be a “blip”:

It will be wrapped up soon. And I talk to the president multiple times a day, and he says the same thing privately that he’s saying publicly. This is a very limited scope of mission and objective. We have virtually accomplished the mission entirely incredibly quickly. That was by design. … So the little blip on the screen right now with Iran and oil prices will be very temporary and quick. … And long-term we’re going to be much better off with some stability in Iran instead of an avowed enemy of the United States and Israel trying to develop nuclear weapons to wipe us off the face of the earth. This is going to be a good thing. So this will be a blip.

“People have short memories and when their cost of living goes down, which is what we’re fiercely devoted to … they’re going to be feeling much better about this, and it’s going to be reflected in the outcome of the election,” Johnson said.

The Iran war had turned unpopular among Republican voters, too, particularly young ones, as Vice President J.D. Vance pointed out, as he asked voters not to throw out Republicans solely based on that fact.

The war did not end quickly, and there were multiple occasions when the war had peace deals in the works that all ended up falling apart. However, as The Federalist reported, the war appeared to be set up for a protracted conflict early on.

With a House majority and a Senate majority, Democrats will have subpoena power over Trump administration officials, meaning they can drag cabinet secretaries before committees for the rest of Trump’s term. Many also expect impeachment proceedings against Trump and likely some cabinet secretaries as well.