Sen. John Kennedy rejects Vance claim that Iran war caused Republican midterm losses

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Thursday pushed back hard against Vice President Vance's assertion that Republicans lost the midterms because of the war in Iran, arguing that the explanation for the party's sweeping defeats is, in his words, a lot deeper than that.

Speaking with CNN's Kasie Hunt, Kennedy dismissed the idea that voter frustration over foreign policy drove the results. "This loss was not because of Iran. That might have played a part, but I don't think every statewide Republican in Texas lost their election, every single one, because they think American foreign policy is too interventionist," he said, adding, "I mean, put down the crack pipe."

Vance had offered his own take in a lengthy post on the social platform X after the election, writing that "the reason we lost is the war." The vice president is widely viewed as a leading Republican contender for the 2028 presidential race, making his postelection diagnosis a closely watched signal of how the party will process its losses.

Kennedy, who had argued before the election that Republicans needed to do more to address high prices and inflation, said economic concerns were the primary driver of his party's defeat. "I think the Democrats did a better job, much better job, of acknowledging the economic pain that the American people are going through," he said.

The senator also said President Trump owns the economy regardless of when inflation began. "I've heard President Trump say before, 'Well, you know, this inflation started under President Biden,' and that's true," Kennedy said. "But the economy belongs to President Trump. He might not have fathered this child, but he's got to raise it. And people are hurting."

Both the Iran war and the economy have been weak points for Trump in approval polling, but inflation and the cost of living have consistently ranked as his worst issue, even though it was a centerpiece of his 2024 campaign message. An Economist/YouGov poll conducted after the election found that 67 percent of Americans disapproved of the president's handling of the economy, slightly worse than the 61 percent who disapproved of his foreign policy.

The two issues have been intertwined at times. The war sent gas and diesel prices soaring, and they have remained elevated for much of the year. The president also predicted the conflict would end within a few weeks, yet there is still no resolution to the fighting that began in late February.

Together, those pressures helped produce a brutal midterm environment for the GOP. Democrats gained more than 40 House seats and at least eight Senate seats, with one race still outstanding.

With the election now behind them, members of both parties are already turning their attention to 2028. Kennedy said he did not think Vance "did himself any favors" with his postelection analysis. The Louisiana Republican did not rule out a presidential bid of his own but said he plans to seek reelection. "I don't know, Kasie. I mean, I'm planning on running for reelection to the Senate, but things are getting weirder and weirder and weirder around here," he said.