Republican Senate candidates call for end to Iran war amid high fuel prices
The episode updates viewers on 2026 midterm polls showing strong Democratic momentum for House and possible Senate gains, attributing much of the shift to economic pain from the ongoing US-Iran war now in its eighth month. Politico reporters Conor O'Brien and Leo Shane discuss Republican Senate candidates in battleground states calling for an immediate end to the war to lower gas, diesel and fertilizer prices, Trump's use of DHS funds for patriotic ads featuring himself, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's 'State of the Force' speech announcing a new Autonomous Warfare Command. The conversation also covers Pentagon leadership vacancies, munitions strain, potential Houthi escalation, and prospects for oversight hearings if Democrats win Congress. Sourcing relies on named Politico reporting, referenced Wall Street Journal story on the ads, polling aggregators like Nate Silver's Silver Bulletin and Race to the White House, and direct quotes from candidates and senators. Guests emphasize voter conversations with farmers and truckers; no opposing administration voices appear.
Source: The Telegraph