In a move to distance himself from the unpopular conflict, US Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Iran War was responsible for widespread Republican losses in the 2026 midterm elections. In a social media post, he wrote, "The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night." Vance cited data and polling indicating that many voters who backed Trump in 2024 abandoned Republicans at the ballot box due to frustration over the conflict. He claimed that although the turnout in all the states were not "catastrophic" and Republican voters were showing up, they were voting for the opposition.