Republican candidates and Mr. Trump have argued that the price rises are temporary and worth the war with Iran, which they have said was necessary. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
As Americans vote to elect new lawmakers on Capitol Hill and at State and local levels on November 3, foreign policy issues have become enmeshed in domestic policy issues. Specifically, these issues are U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on trading partners, the war in Iran and, to a lower extent U.S. support for Israel. The Iran war caused gas and diesel prices to shoot up. This, along with tariffs, has created problems for Republicans in their strongholds and challenges for Mr. Trump with his own base of manufacturing workers, business owners and farmers.
Between September 1 and October 14, campaign ads for at least half of 50 competitive Senate and House races featured Iran, according to a study by the Associated Press. The total spend on these ads was $ 42 million. Almost all the 65 unique ads, according to the AP study, linked the Iran war to the cost of living.
Published – November 02, 2026 09:11 pm IST
