YouGov poll shows strong voter aversion to pro-Iran war candidates ahead of 2026 midterms

A YouGov poll released on Monday, conducted on the eve of the 2026 midterm elections, found that 44% of respondents said they would be less likely to support candidates who backed the US-Israel war on Iran, compared with 13% who said it would make them more likely to vote for such candidates. The remaining 26% said the war would not affect their vote.

Economic concerns also shaped opinions: 56% of those surveyed said the United States should prioritize avoiding higher domestic prices over pursuing President Donald Trump’s military objectives in Iran, while 22% favored prioritizing the war despite potential price increases.

When asked who should decide when the war ends, 53% said Congress should have the final say, versus 29% who preferred the president to decide.

Jonathan Guyer, programme director at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group, said the poll indicated a public desire for greater congressional involvement in war decisions. > "The story of the [economic] trade-off is really important, and then there’s this other story of where Congress has been: Why haven’t lawmakers, not just over the last year but over the last decade, played a bigger role as a backstop on reckless wars launched by presidents?"

"And I think these numbers show the public really wants Congress to play a bigger role and expects their lawmakers to hold power to account."

The survey adds to evidence that the US-Israel war on Iran is unpopular, a factor that may influence the upcoming midterm contests and future electoral battles, including the 2028 presidential race. Guyer noted that foreign-policy stances could become a decisive issue for candidates on both sides of the aisle.

President Trump later said the military campaign in Iran was "effectively over," while maintaining that further action was not ruled out. Vice President JD Vance and media figures such as Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Greene have also criticized the war, reflecting broader debate within the Republican Party.