DeSantis: War in Iran ‘big, big drag’ on Republicans

Outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the Iran war is a “big, big drag” on Republican candidates this midterm cycle.

DeSantis joined sports and political commentator Stephen A. Smith on SiriusXM on Monday night and said the Iran war and the high gas prices it has led to have hurt the GOP. A former challenger to President Trump in 2024, DeSantis has repaired his relationship with the president and campaigned alongside Republicans throughout the 2026 cycle.

“We just got to be honest. Gas is higher. It hurts people, working-class people, and it’s higher because of this conflict. That’s just a fact,” DeSantis said.

Gas prices hit a record high for an Election Day on Tuesday, reaching an average of $4.11 per gallon. Elevated prices are mostly due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway for global oil transport.

The strait has been a key negotiation point for the Trump administration as they have tried to resolve the war, and while more oil is flowing than at the start of hostilities, prices remain high. DeSantis warned Republicans against ignoring the realities of the war’s impact on prices.

“If you can’t admit that to voters, then you’re gaslighting them, and they’re not going to listen to you on other things,” DeSantis said.

The Florida governor said Trump ran on a platform of no new wars, and with an extended war in Iran, some GOP voters have “checked out.”

DeSantis added that the war could make 2028 difficult for Republicans if it lasts until the end of Trump’s term.

“If it drags on for the rest of his presidency, it’s going to be devastating to his ability to get anything done, and it is going to be very, very difficult for Republicans in the next cycle,” he said.

Asked what policy Republicans will reform their stance on if they lose on Tuesday — whether Trump supports it or not — DeSantis said they should shift their stances on artificial intelligence, data centers and Big Tech as a whole. He said if the Democrats are on “offense” on the AI issue, they will be able to attract voters who are historically more conservative.

“We do best as a party when we are standing for small business folks, people that are working hard,” DeSantis said. “When we get into corporatism, that’s when you really start to lose people.”