Two Republican representatives up for reelection in battleground districts in Iowa voted Tuesday to limit President Donald Trump's war powers in Iran.
Third District Rep. Zach Nunn and 1st District Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks joined Democrats and five other Republicans to pass the Democrat-backed resolution in what is seen as a symbolic rebuke of the president's war in Iran.
Nunn and Miller-Meeks' votes comes as they're running in two of the most competitive races in the country. Iowa's 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts are currently labeled as "toss ups" by political forecasters.
Nunn is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and Miller-Meeks is a 24-year Army veteran. They have previously voted against two similar resolutions that passed the U.S. House.
In a post on X Tuesday night, Nunn said Iowa has already paid a “devastating price,” with the loss of two service members in the conflict. He said Congress owes the service members killed, their families and Americans constitutional oversight.
“Having deployed multiple times and flown over 700 combat hours in the Middle East, I will not support another open-ended war," he said. “We can defend Americans, pressure Iran and pursue peace while ensuring Congress fulfills its constitutional responsibility.”
Iran must be held accountable for killing Americans, supporting terrorism, threatening the Strait of Hormuz, and pursuing nuclear weapons. Iowa has already paid a devastating price, including two service members killed by an Iranian drone in Kuwait. Congress owes them, their…
— Congressman Zach Nunn (@ZachNunn) September 16, 2026
Nunn's break with his party also comes nearly a month after he hosted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a campaign fundraiser at the Iowa State Fair. At the fundraiser, Hegseth praised Nunn as an needed ally in Congress for backing the department's military actions in Iran and spending requests.
Nunn is running against Democrat Sarah Trone Garriott in the 3rd District. The West Des Moines Democrat has frequently criticized Nunn over his votes in support of the war in wake of the deaths of two Iowa service members and as gas and fertilizer prices have surged in response to the war.
Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Nunn stated he would not support a “forever war” but did not specify what limits he would place on the president’s war powers, the Des Moines Register reported.
I served 24 years in the Army. I said it in March: the mission had to stay focused and limited, because Americans do not want another forever war. I will not vote to keep our soldiers in an open-ended war, with Iowans paying too much at the pump.
— Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (@RepMMM) September 16, 2026
The Iranian regime and its…
Miller-Meeks, who’s running against Democrat Christina Bohannan and independent Michael Bridgford in Iowa's 1st Congressional District, posted on X Wednesday that she would not vote to keep American soldiers in an “open-ended” war, while Iowans pay higher gas prices.
“The Iranian regime and its nuclear ambitions have been defanged,” she said. “The president needs to present a plan to Congress and the American people for how this ends so we can focus on bringing our soldiers home and lowering prices.”
Fourth District Rep. Randy Feenstra, and 2nd District Rep. Ashley Hinson — who’s running in a competitive U.S. Senate race — voted with most other Republicans against the war powers resolution.
The resolution would direct the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran unless authorized by a declaration of war or a congressional authorization of military force. The president’s use of forces to protect the U.S. or allies from imminent attack would still be permitted.
On Monday, an analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office showed the war against Iran has cost the U.S. more than $38 billion through Aug. 1, and is projected to cost up to $3 billion or more per month, depending on how much the conflict escalates. The analysis also projects the conflict is likely to raise inflation next year.
The resolution passed by a vote of 220-204. Nunn and Miller-Meeks joined Republican Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Nancy Mace of South Carolina.
The general election is Nov. 3.
