Democrats Tie Iran War to Prices in US Midterm Campaign
Democrats are framing the war with Iran as an affordability issue in the run-up to the US midterm elections on November 3, using it to criticise Republican candidates backed by President Donald Trump, according to Al Jazeera.
The war began on February 28, when Israel and the United States started attacking Iran. Tehran then began disrupting energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping route for oil and gas. Reuters has reported that Iran has since shifted tactics to step up attacks on shipping before the US vote, according to officials, and that the war carries a $3 billion monthly price tag.
The effects are visible at the pump. The average US price of a gallon of petrol rose from less than $3 before the war to more than $4.27 as of Thursday, according to the American Automobile Association. US diesel prices reached record highs in the weeks before October 23.
The campaign debate has followed those costs. In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed faced Republican Mike Rogers, who is backed by Trump, in a debate. El-Sayed said the cost of gas and groceries goes back to the war in Iran, and he called for a War Powers Resolution, a congressional measure to curb the president's ability to continue the conflict.
Polling offers a mixed picture of public opinion. An Institute for Global Affairs survey found that 60 percent of potential voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the Iran war, and that 81 percent of respondents agreed the conflict has raised the cost of living. Politico, citing its own polling of likely voters, reported that 52 percent opposed US military action in Iran and 37 percent supported it. The Guardian has listed the Iran war and artificial intelligence among six key voter issues in the midterms.
Trump and his allies have argued that the war was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Before the war, Trump repeatedly said Iran's nuclear programme had been obliterated by US strikes on uranium enrichment facilities in June 2025. US intelligence officials have testified to Congress that they have no evidence Iran is building a nuclear bomb.
Trump made a campaign pledge to steer clear of foreign conflicts, according to the Associated Press. On October 9, he said the United States will not strike Iran before the midterm elections. On October 13, he claimed the Houthis, a group in Yemen, are trying to increase oil prices before the US elections. On October 23, he said the United States could end the war with Iran quickly.
Reuters, citing officials, has reported that Iran has deliberately prolonged talks with the United States to weaken Trump politically ahead of the midterms. Republicans hold a 218-214 edge in the House and a 53-47 majority in the Senate going into the vote.
