Thune says Iran war trumps ‘everything else’ in midterm warning to Republicans

Published September 28, 2026 3:45pm ET | Updated September 28, 2026 3:45pm ET



Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Monday acknowledged the war in Iran is shaping tight congressional races nationwide as he warned that the Republican Party’s performance in the midterm election will boil down to voter turnout.

Thune’s admission comes as polling shows the Iran war and its impact on the cost of living, particularly gas prices, are widely unpopular with voters, spelling trouble for the GOP in the upcoming November elections. 

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