Poll finds Iran war support more likely to deter than attract US voters

A YouGov survey completed before the US midterm elections found that support for the war on Iran was more likely to put respondents off a candidate than draw them in. In the poll released on Monday, 44% said they were less likely to support candidates who backed the war, compared with 13% who said they were more likely.

Another 26% said the war would not make much difference to their vote. The roughly three-to-one comparison concerns respondents' stated reactions to candidates, not a measured count of votes changed by the issue or proof that it determined the election outcome.

The survey also asked about economic priorities. Some 56% said avoiding higher prices at home should take precedence over achieving President Donald Trump's military goals in Iran, while 22% favoured prioritising the war effort over higher costs.

On authority over ending the conflict, 53% said Congress should have the final say, compared with 29% who preferred the president. The poll was conducted for the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group, whose programme director said the findings showed demand for lawmakers to play a stronger role.

The findings add to debate about war powers and the domestic costs of the conflict. They describe opinion collected before the November 3 election, rather than a new post-election survey, and should not be treated as a prediction of how any particular lawmaker will vote.