Republicans had hoped that the passage of new tax cuts would buoy them in the midterm elections, but their ability to campaign on their signature legislation has been diminished by the war with Iran and high gas prices.
The tax cut bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Republicans last year and signed by President Donald Trump, was supposed to give the party an advantage by preventing tax increases for a majority of voters, enacting new tax breaks for tips and overtime, and boosting the economy overall. But since the start of the war with Iran, gas prices have driven an overall rise in inflation that has caused many families financial distress. Republican strategists say that the economic pain has made it difficult for the GOP to capitalize on its brand as the party of tax cuts.
