WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance has blamed the Iran war for Republican losses in the midterm elections, saying the party must address voters’ concerns about the conflict and the economy.
In a lengthy post on social media platform X, Vance said the war was the reason for the party’s defeat, adding that President Donald Trump had made the same point the previous night.
“Our loss was because of the war,” Vance wrote. “Everyone knows why we lost, and any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”
He said voting figures showed that Republican voters had turned out in the midterm elections but had not supported their party’s candidates.
Vance also acknowledged that the party’s economic message and narrative had not been sufficiently clear or effective.
Citing recent polling data, the vice president said voters who supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election were now primarily demanding four things: an end to the war, greater attention to inflation, a return to an America First policy and a change in relations with Israel.
Before Trump ordered strikes on Iran earlier this year, Vance had expressed reservations about military action, reportedly warning that the United States could become entangled in a conflict that would be difficult to end.
Vance is widely viewed by US media as a potential contender for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 if he decides to enter the race.
