The House on Tuesday passed an Iran war powers resolution aimed at halting 
President Donald Trump's ability to continue military action without congressional approval, with seven Republicans joining Democrats in support. Two Iowa Republicans in battleground districts, Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, backed it after previously voting against it.
Which other Republicans voted for it? Retiring Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina joined Reps. Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky in voting yes, PBS NewsHour reported. It was the third time lawmakers had voted to end the war, with a margin similar to earlier efforts. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who represents northeast Iowa and is running to replace retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, voted against.
What did the Iowa members say? Nunn, an Air Force veteran, said in a social media post quoted by PBS NewsHour that "with the negotiating window closed, sustained combat operations now require congressional authorization." "I will not support another open-ended war," he said. Miller-Meeks, an Army veteran, said in a statement that the president needs to present a plan showing how the war ends so "we can focus on bringing our soldiers home and lowering prices." "Americans do not want another forever war," she said.
What is the political backdrop? The shift reflects political pressure on Republicans before midterm elections that will decide control of Congress, PBS NewsHour reported. In national polling, only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults approved of Trump's handling of Iran in a July AP-NORC poll, while a September New York Times/Siena poll found about 6 in 10 likely voters think his decision to go to war was the wrong one. Eighteen U.S. service members have died in the war, two of them from Iowa. Nunn faces Sarah Trone Garriott in November, while Miller-Meeks faces a rematch against Christina Bohannan, whom she has defeated twice. Nunn campaigned last month with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who called him "not a 3 a.m. congressman" at a fundraiser during the Iowa State Fair. More than 400 former national security officials later filed a complaint seeking an investigation into whether Hegseth violated the Hatch Act, and his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Figures referenced: Donald Trump. — JudgeMarket.
