Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, has voted against House resolutions directing President Donald Trump to halt the war with Iran six times, including as recently as last week.
But on Monday, the Republican Senate candidate called for an “immediate end” to 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 X, calling for measures like suspending the gas tax, pausing diesel exports and replenishing the highway trust fund to provide relief from high costs.
“These actions to lower costs are needed ASAP, and the war needs to be brought to a successful and immediate end,” she said.
It drew a quick response from her Democratic opponent, Josh Turek, who also pointed to a seventh vote by Hinson against ending U.S. hostilities in Lebanon as part of the conflict in the Middle East.
In a reply to Hinson, Turek wrote on X, “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,” Turek continued. “Glad you’re finally following my lead after waffling on the proposals I put forward last week to address the rising costs of the war in Iran.”
Last month, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter shifted its Iowa Senate race rating from “lean Republican” to “toss-up.” Trump won the state in the last three presidential elections, and Democrats haven’t won a Senate race there since 2008.
Hinson’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about her prior votes against the Iran war powers measures in the House.
The latest resolution passed the House 220-204 last Tuesday, with seven Republicans joining all Democrats present in supporting it. Among those seven were Reps. Zach Nunn and Marianette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, who had previously opposed such measures but changed their position.
Both are running for re-election in battleground House districts. The Cook Political Report rates their races as “toss-ups.”
Hinson, a three-term congresswoman, has been increasingly characterizing herself as “bipartisan” and slowly distancing herself from the Trump administration as polls show voters disapprove of the president’s handling of the war and the economy. Her messaging and votes highlight the difficult balance of turning out Trump’s strongest supporters while appealing to the growing number of voters who have soured on him.
Last month, Hinson objected to his proposal to import more foreign beef. Last week, when Vice President JD Vance went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to rally for Republicans, Hinson did not attend, citing a scheduling conflict.
“I want to make a shoutout to an amazing public servant,” Vance said in his remarks. “I know she couldn’t be here today, but are we going to elect Ashley Hinson the next United States senator from the great state of Iowa?”
Meanwhile, another Midwest Republican Senate candidate running in a tough race on Tuesday said the Iran war must end.
Former Rep. Mike Rogers said in a video released on social media that “the war with Iran needs to end and end quickly.”
“When it does, energy costs will plummet,” Rogers said. “But Michigan families can’t afford to wait for that to happen.”
Similar to Hinson, Rogers said he supported suspending the state and federal gas tax and a temporary embargo on American diesel exports.
In response, Rogers’ Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed said on X, “You’ve spent your entire campaign supporting the war in Iran. Liar, coward, fraud.”
