Del Beccaro: GOP is running 2026 like it’s 2006, repeating George W Bush’s Iraq War election failure – Despite bright economic spots, the party has yet to offer voters a plan on housing, Social Security or AI safety
First Posted at Foxnews.com
The 2026 midterm election is bearing down on Republicans. How it will turn out will be determined, in part, by whom history says controlled the narrative. Sadly, Republicans are losing that battle just as they did in 2006 when the Iraq War became the decisive issue.
After the 2004 presidential election, Republicans had a House majority of 232 seats to 202 seats held by the Democrats. After the 2006 election, that was reversed, with Democrats holding 233 seats to 202 for Republicans, with Democrats even picking up the one independent seat.
What might be surprising about that loss is that the 2006 economy was growing at 3% and there were 1.8 million new jobs added in 2006.
So, how did Republicans lose the House in that dramatic fashion in 2006? Two ways: by not controlling the narrative and failing to offer the voters a plan for the years ahead.
The dominant issue of the 2006 campaign was not the economy, it was the Iraq War. The public was weary of it and exit polls showed that 56% of Americans disapproved of it. President George W. Bush’s approval ratings were tied to that war, and he had a similar disapproval rating.
There was also the late-breaking Mark Foley scandal, a Republican congressman.
In the process, independent voters voted decisively for Democrats 57% to 39% in those midterms in contrast to voting slightly in favor of Republicans in 2004.
Keep in mind that the Iraq War did not result in substantial hardships for Americans as compared to prior wars such as Vietnam, Korea or the world wars.
Obviously, the Iraq War was a Middle East War far from the American homeland. Yes, gas prices did rise (sound familiar?). But they were significantly dropping by the time of the election.
As for the Iraq War itself, nearly 20 times as many Americans had died in the Vietnam War than had in the Iraq War by the 2006 midterms. While all troop deaths are always tragedies, that comparison is made to give context between two major wars and public perception about their gravity and losses.
To a large degree, the controlling dynamic of the 2006 election was the public’s view of the Iraq War, the Foley scandal and the lack of a Republican narrative.
Elections, however, should never be analyzed just for what happened. They also should be analyzed for what didn’t happen. What didn’t happen in the 2006 midterms…
