GOP Senator Breaks Ranks, Rejects Vance’s Election Blame Game After Defeat
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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told CNN that Republicans were trying to paper over their midterm losses with a simplistic Iran excuse, while Democrats won by focusing on the kitchen-table economic pain voters actually care about.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said on CNN’s “The Arena” that Republicans’ recent midterm losses could not be pinned on the war in Iran, despite the party’s apparent eagerness to deflect responsibility. He said Democrats “did a better job” of centering economic concerns in their campaign messaging and noted that President Donald Trump’s effort to tie inflation to former President Joe Biden did not resonate strongly with voters.
Kennedy added that the vice president’s post-election message, which blamed the war, only made matters worse for the Republican cause. He said, "> I don’t think the vice president did himself any favors by sending out that email or tweet after the election. This loss was not because of Iran. That might have played a part, but I don’t think every statewide Republican in Texas lost their election — every single one — because they think American foreign policy is too interventionist. I mean, put down the crack pipe. It’s a lot deeper than that."
When asked about his own political future, Kennedy said he will run for Senate reelection in two years but declined to confirm whether he will seek the GOP presidential nomination.