US Republicans in tight Senate races seek distance from Trump on Iran war

Mike Rogers and Ashley Hinson called for the Iran war to end immediately as fuel costs climbed. Their shift drew Democratic attacks and highlighted wider Republican efforts to distance themselves from Donald Trump.Mike Rogers, Ashley Hinson call for swift end to conflict after backing Trump's war powers. (Credit: Reuters)Two Republicans fighting closely watched US Senate races called for an immediate end to the war in Iran on Monday, signalling a growing effort by vulnerable candidates to distance themselves from President Donald Trump as the conflict drives up fuel prices.Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers and Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson both adopted a more dovish stance on the war, despite previously supporting Trump's authority to launch strikes against Tehran.Their shift comes less than two months before the November midterm elections, when Republicans will try to defend their narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress. The nearly seven-month-old conflict has raised concerns among some Republican candidates that its economic fallout could hurt them at the polls.HINSON CALLS FOR WAR TO END 'IMMEDIATELY'Hinson, a member of the US House, has voted six times against measures aimed at restricting Trump's authority to continue the war, including a vote as recently as last week. But on Monday, she said Iowans should not have to bear the economic cost of the conflict.“Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” Hinson wrote on social media. She called for a suspension of gasoline taxes, a pause in US diesel exports and other measures to ease pressure on consumers, while also demanding that the war be brought to a “successful and immediate end.”Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran. We need to use every option at our disposal to provide some relief from high prices.That includes suspending the gas tax, pausing diesel exports, unleashing E-15— Ashley Hinson (@hinsonashley) September 21, 2026Diesel prices carry particular political weight in Iowa, where agriculture is a major part of the economy and farmers rely heavily on diesel-powered machinery and transport.ROGERS CHANGES TONE IN CAMPAIGN ADRogers, who is in a competitive race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, had previously backed Trump's strikes on Iran. In a late-July interview with CBS Detroit, he also opposed efforts to restrict Trump's authority while the president was negotiating an end to the conflict.His campaign struck a different tone on Monday in an advertisement posted on X, with Rogers speaking from a grocery store.“The war with Iran needs to end and end quickly,” Rogers said. “When it does, energy costs will plummet. But Michigan families can't afford to wait for that to happen. We need to do something now.”Rogers also called for suspending state and federal gasoline taxes and temporarily halting US diesel exports.DEMOCRATS ACCUSE REPUBLICANS OF ELECTION-YEAR SHIFTDemocrats said the Republican candidates were changing their positions because rising fuel costs had become politically damaging.“Mike Rogers is only flip-flopping now because gas hit $5 a gallon and diesel prices hit record highs,” El-Sayed said in a statement.Hinson's Democratic opponent, Josh Turek, also criticised her position on social media.“It's easy to send a tweet, but when you had the chance to vote to end this war, you chose not to,” Turek wrote on X..@hinsonashley, it's easy to send a tweet but when you had the chance to vote to end this war, you chose not to. You voted seven times to continue it, including just last week. It's time to actually end the forever wars and put Iowa and Iowans first.Glad you're finally https://t.co/Myd7lvsT0y— Josh Turek (@turek4iowa) September 21, 2026The candidates' comments come as public sentiment toward Trump has weakened on both the economy and his handling of the Iran war. His approval rating fell to 32%, a career low, in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday, as inflation remained stubbornly high.MORE REPUBLICANS BREAK WITH TRUMPRogers and Hinson are not the only Republicans recently distancing themselves from Trump over the war.Last week, Iowa Representatives Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, both facing difficult re-election contests, joined Democrats in voting to restrict Trump's war powers in Iran after previously taking different positions.Florida Representative Maria Elvira Salazar also released a campaign advertisement on Thursday warning that Trump's immigration crackdown had gone too far and saying some Hispanic supporters felt betrayed.- EndsWith inputs from ReutersPublished By: Nitish SinghPublished On: Sep 22, 2026 05:48 IST