Trump-backed Iowa Senate candidate says Iran war could become ‘political liability’
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Rep. Ashley Hinson, the likely GOP nominee in Iowa’s critical Senate race, said last week that the Iran war will become a “political liability” if it extends much longer, according to audio obtained by POLITICO. Asked in a one-on-one exchange about a timeline for the war, Hinson said, "I'm deferring to the president on the negotiations because he has the team doing it." However, she added: “I do hope we can get this done by the next couple of weeks. If it drags on beyond that, it's a political liability for us too, because we've lost Iowa soldiers. I've been to four funerals since December, it's awful.” It’s a stark acknowledgement for a representative who has positioned herself as a loyal ally of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill, including on the ongoing war, and repeatedly voted against limiting the president’s military powers. The candid remarks came during a private conversation during a public meet-and-greet with voters in Webster County last Thursday. Hinson didn’t go so far last Thursday as to condemn the Iran war, reiterating that “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon” and that the families of the fallen Iowa soldiers “all said that we need to finish the job.” But her remarks offer a glimpse into Republicans’ growing concerns that a prolonged conflict, especially with the resulting rise in gas prices and risk of increased American casualties, could become a vulnerability in battleground contests. “Of course endless wars are unpopular — no one wants them and thankfully President Trump is doing everything he can to prevent one while keeping Americans safe,” a Hinson spokesperson said in a statement. “Ashley fully supports his mission to keep nuclear weapons out of Iran’s hands.” While some anti-interventionist Republicans have openly criticized the conflict, such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), few Trump-endorsed candidates running in competitive races have publicly acknowledged the political complications of being at war. Hinson is widely expected to win Tuesda