Iran War Tightens the GOP's Midterm Tightrope

One month into the Iran conflict, Republicans in battleground states broadly back the president, but the prolonged war is driving up costs and complicating campaigns. Gas prices in several states near five dollars a gallon, fertilizer and supply-chain pressures hit farmers and manufacturers, and worry about turnout among MAGA voters grows if fighting drags on. The White House argues the conflict will help cool inflation and energy supply, while GOP officials fret about endgame and potential casualties. Polls show loyal Trump supporters largely back the action, but political risk rises the longer the war lasts.