Iran War Votes in Congress Become Focal Point for $42 Million Campaign Ad Attacks/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Democrats and allied groups are using congressional votes on the Iran war to connect Republican candidates to higher household costs. An AP analysis identified more than 43,000 television airings of Iran-related ads, costing an estimated $42 million in competitive races. Republicans largely emphasize other issues in their advertising, although some candidates have publicly called for the conflict to end.
Quick Look
- Advertising reach: Iran-related ads appeared in at least half of the 50 competitive races examined.
- Affordability emphasis: Of 65 distinct Iran-themed ads, 61 stressed household expenses.
- Congressional record: The Senate has held 14 votes and the House six on restricting or ending military action.
- Republican messaging: GOP advertising focuses primarily on taxes, crime and other issues.
- Strongest concentration: About one-third of television ads in California’s 48th District referenced Iran.
- Recent defections: Seven House Republicans joined Democrats in the latest vote to end the war.
Deep Look
Democrats Use Iran War Votes to Attack Republicans on Affordability
WASHINGTON — Congressional votes on the Iran war are becoming prominent material for Democratic campaign advertisements, with candidates and allied groups linking Republican support for the conflict to higher gasoline, grocery and other household costs.
The advertising follows months of Democratic efforts to force votes on war powers resolutions intended to end or restrict President Donald Trump’s military campaign.
Although those votes had little practical effect, they established records that campaigns are now using to challenge Republican candidates.
In Wisconsin, one advertisement targets Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
A narrator says “groceries, utilities, everything’s getting more expensive and Congressman (Derrick) Van Orden is adding to the list. He voted for the costly Iran war and spiking gas prices.”
In Nebraska, Democratic candidate Chris Backemeyer uses similar language against Republican Rep. Mike Flood.
“And Mike Flood opened the gates. Flood voted six times for Trump’s tariffs and the Iran war, flooding us with higher prices on groceries, gas, cars and medicine, costing us a thousand dollars more a year.”
In Iowa, Vote Vets Action Fund accuses Republican Senate nominee Ashley Hinson of voting five times for the war, “giving us record prices for gas and fertilizer.”
Those statements present the campaigns’ arguments about responsibility for rising costs.
AP Analysis Finds $42 Million in Iran-Related Television Advertising
The Associated Press examined AdImpact data covering broadcast and cable advertisements aired from Sept. 1 through Oct. 14 in competitive House and Senate contests.
The analysis focused on 50 races rated as tossups or leaning toward either party by the Cook Political Report. It also examined a smaller number of streaming advertisements.
At least half of those contests featured Iran-related advertising.
The television ads aired more than 43,000 times at an estimated cost of $42 million. AP identified them using AdImpact’s issue categories and additional examination of their wording.
Of the 65 distinct Iran-themed advertisements identified, 61 emphasized household costs, including fuel and other purchases.
Some ads also target Republicans who have never served in Congress and therefore have no record on the war powers resolutions. In those cases, Democrats portray the candidates as likely supporters of Trump’s approach.
Republicans Largely Avoid Iran in Their Advertising
Republican campaigns have generally concentrated their advertisements on other subjects.
Their leading themes since Sept. 1 have been taxes and crime, followed by character, healthcare and immigration.
Republican strategist Ron Bonjean said the party’s stronger approach was to highlight Democratic vulnerabilities so voters conclude “this guy is worse.”
“In the end, you’re trying to get as many Republicans out to vote for you as possible and bring over some independents,” Bonjean said. “And talking about the Iran war is really not a winning message because you’re playing on the Democratic turf.”
Some Republican Candidates Publicly Call for War to End
Outside their advertisements, some Republicans have sought distance from the conflict.
Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers has said the “war with Iran needs to end — and end quickly.”
Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed has aired advertisements saying a billion dollars a day is being spent on a war “we have no business fighting.”
El-Sayed says he is running to “invest our tax dollars here in Michigan.”
In Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins emphasized during a recent debate that she had voted nine times to end the conflict.
Democratic challenger Troy Jackson countered that she had voted five times to “make it happen.”
Repeated War Powers Votes Create Campaign Records
The Senate has voted 14 times on resolutions seeking to halt or restrict Trump’s military action against Iran.
The House has held six such votes since the conflict began in late February.
In the latest House vote, seven Republicans joined Democrats in supporting an end to the war.
Four of those Republicans are seeking reelection in highly competitive districts: Michigan’s Tom Barrett, Pennsylvania’s Brian Fitzpatrick and Iowa’s Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn.
Barrett and Fitzpatrick had previously voted to remove U.S. forces from hostilities.
For Miller-Meeks and Nunn, the latest votes marked their first support for such a measure, reflecting growing weariness with the conflict.
California’s 48th District Has Highest Share of Iran Ads
Iran-related advertising accounted for approximately 5% of all television spots across the competitive races studied, but its prominence varied considerably.
California’s 48th Congressional District, in the San Diego area, had the highest concentration.
Roughly one-third of approximately 12,000 television ads aired in the district touched on Iran.
Democrats have highlighted Republican Jim Desmond’s early-war comment that “no pain, no gain” applied to the situation.
During the same Real America’s Voice interview, Desmond described higher prices as “a spike” and predicted they would fall after the United States eliminated Iran’s nuclear capability.
“No pain, no gain?” asks an advertisement from Democratic candidate Marni von Wilpert. “Tell that to a family filling up their gas tank.”
Desmond Responds With Tax-and-Fee Criticism
Desmond and the National Republican Congressional Committee answered with an advertisement that does not mention Iran.
Instead, it criticizes von Wilpert’s votes to increase taxes and fees while serving on the San Diego City Council.
The Republican advertisement portrays Desmond as working to lower costs and supporting suspension of the gasoline tax.
The exchange illustrates the parties’ differing approaches: Democrats emphasize the war’s financial consequences, while Republicans highlight their opponents’ domestic records.
Virginia, Maine and Ohio Also See Substantial Iran Messaging
In Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, held by Republican Rep. Jen Kiggansapproximately one-quarter of advertisements referenced Iran.
A similar share addressed the conflict in Maine’s competitive, open 2nd Congressional District.
In Ohio, roughly 4,000 Iran-themed ads aired, accounting for about 4% of the total in one of the country’s most expensive contests.
Nearly all came from Democrat Sherrod Brown’s campaign and focused heavily on household finances.
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