Two Iowa congresswomen broke with their party this week and voted to end the Iran war, a shift that comes as Democrats pour millions of dollars into ads attacking Republicans nationwide over the conflict and its toll on gas and fertilizer prices. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn joined five other Republicans in the latest House vote to end U.S. involvement, according to a report published Friday by The New Indian Express.
The vote was the first for both Miller-Meeks and Nunn on ending the conflict, which began in late February. The Associated Press analysis cited in the report described the shift as a sign of growing weariness with the war among House Republicans, especially those running in competitive districts.
Hinson Targeted in Iowa Senate Race
In Iowa's Senate race, Republican candidate Ashley Hinson is already in the crosshairs. A group called Vote Vets Action Fund has run ads saying Hinson voted five times for the Iran war, which the group claims produced record prices for gas and fertilizer, two costs that hit Iowa farmers and rural commuters directly.
The Iowa ad is part of a broader Democratic playbook. In Wisconsin, an ad attacks Rep. Derrick Van Orden for voting for what it calls the costly Iran war and spiking gas prices. In Nebraska, Democratic candidate Chris Backemeyer says Republican Mike Flood voted six times for Trump's tariffs and the Iran war, which he says is costing families a thousand dollars more a year.
How Big Is the Ad Blitz?
The numbers are large. The Associated Press, using data from AdImpact, analyzed broadcast and cable ads aired from Sept. 1 through Oct. 14 in the most competitive House and Senate races. At least half of the 50 races examined featured Iran-related ads. Those spots aired more than 43,000 times since Sept. 1 at an estimated cost of $42 million.
Of the 65 unique Iran-themed ads the AP identified, 61 stressed household costs such as fuel and other goods, according to the