'A lot deeper than that': GOP senator mocks Vance's excuse for midterm losses
One of the things the data analysts on our side obsessed over was "composition"—whether the electorate looked close enough to 2024 for Republicans to win. And despite polls that showed a Democrat blowout, the data kept on telling us the same story: in some states turnout was merely OK, in other states it was downright amazing, and in no state was it catastrophic. There was a genuine sense of optimism on our team: our people were showing up. So, I asked the smartest data guy I know, does that mean we're going to shock the world? "No," he told me. "We might do better than the polls suggest. But the data is telling us that a lot of Trump/Vance 2024 voters are pissed and planning to vote for the other guys. Our voters are turning out, but they may not vote for us." Well, that looks prophetic now. Our voters did show up. In Florida, for example, the electorate was 9 points more Republican than Democrat, just a couple points worse than 2024. Undoubtedly there were places we could have done better on turnout. But the main problem is not turnout. The main problem is that many people who voted for Trump/Vance in 2024 voted for Democrats in 2026. There will be a lot of infighting and arguing over what happened and why that is. One of the pollsters I really respect told me that our economic messaging wasn’t sharp enough down the stretch. I’m sure that’s true. But the real reason we lost is obvious to almost everyone. Another pollster—one of the smartest people I know in politics, told me yesterday we’d lose the generic ballot by 13 points. I felt negative going into Tuesday, but even I was shocked by this. In his polling, he saw that a lot of Trump 2024 voters were angry and planning to vote for Democrats. He asked those voters who had abandoned us what would cause them to come back on our team. The top four answers, accounting for nearly all of the responses were: 1) End the war 2) Focus on cost of living/inflation 3) Put America First 4) Change our relationship to Israel Our voters showed up. And the above four reasons are why many of them voted for Democrats. This is according to a pollster who nailed the results. While many spent Monday attacking Rachel Campos Duffy for calling for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, it turns out her political advice was sound. (She’s also a great person.) In the next few months, there's going to be a lot of gaslighting. Expect to hear any number of establishment politicians say the solution to our woes is amnesty. I'm open to the idea that we should change enforcement—by focusing more on businesses that hire illegal labor, for instance. But anyone pushing amnesty is lying to you. The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night. If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest. But everyone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there. I remain hopeful about our country. To the people who are pissed off and want to say, “I told you so”: you’re right, you did tell us so. Take that energy into electing Republicans who share your worldview. To the people who are just pissed at the results, you should be. Let’s take that anger and get back to the work of saving our country.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) November 4, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that the Iran war contributed to the sweeping GOP loss.
"The reason we lost is the war," Vance wrote in a lengthy post on X on Wednesday morning, November 4, a day after the election. Vance affirmed that the president himself “said so.”
"If you'd like to argue it was worth it, that losing the Senate for the next 6 years was worth it, then do so. Argue it was a worthwhile cost to pay. Agree or disagree, that's at least honest," Vance added.
GOP senator blasts JD Vance for blaming Iran war
Senator John Kennedy blasted Vance for finding an excuse in the Iran war for the midterm loss, saying the reason behind the party’s sweeping midterm losses is “a lot deeper than that.”
“This loss was not because of Iran. That might have played a part, but I don’t think every statewide Republican in Texas lost their election, every single one, because they think American foreign policy is too interventionist,” Kennedy told CNN on Thursday, November 12. “I mean, put down the c***k pipe.”
Republican Party suffered disastrous midterm elections, losing both the House and the Senate to Democrats in the wake of soaring dissatisfaction over rising living costs and the Iran war, among others.
Even before the midterm elections, Kennedy said Republicans need to do more to address high prices and inflation. In the interview, he again pointed to economic concerns as a primary reason for his party’s defeat.
Kennedy: I don't think the Vice President did himself any favors by sending out that email or tweet or whatever it was after the election. This loss was not because of Iran. That might have played a part, but I don't think every statewide Republican in Texas lost their election because they think American foreign policy is too interventionist. I mean, put down the crack pipe.
— Acyn (@Acyn) November 12, 2026
“I think the Democrats did a better job, a much better job, of acknowledging the economic pain that the American people are going through,” Kennedy said.
“I’ve heard President Trump say before, ‘Well, you know, this inflation started under President Biden’, and that’s true,” he continued. “But the economy belongs to President Trump. He might not have fathered this child, but he’s got to raise it. And people are hurting.”
John Kennedy hints at 2028 as things get 'weirder'
Vance is considered the top potential candidate for Republicans, but Kennedy thinks that Vance didn’t do himself a favor in his midterm loss analysis.
The Louisiana Republican did not rule out seeking the presidency but said he plans to run for reelection.
“I don’t know, Kasie. I mean, I’m planning on running for reelection to the Senate, but things are getting weirder and weirder and weirder around here,” Kennedy said.
While people, in pre-election surveys, acknowledged their dissatisfaction with the Iran war and the Trump admin’s economic performance, inflation and the rising cost of living consistently remained key drivers in bringing Trump’s approval points down.
