Vance points to Israel ties as factor in GOP losses, but congressional Republicans cite other issues - analysis

Vice President JD Vance, to no one’s surprise, blamed Israel, in part, for Republicans’ historic losses in last week’s midterms.

Relying on a poll no one has seen, whose methodology is unknown, potentially from a pollster Vance has previously worked with a history of anti-Israel comments, Vance revealed Republican voters are craving a change in Washington’s relationship with Jerusalem, and rebelled at the polling booth due to the current state of affairs.

President Donald Trump weighed in this week, telling 60 Minutes that “There's a great dislike, incredibly, for Israel,” when assessing the party’s losses. It’s unclear if he was parroting Vance or received that information elsewhere.

But Congressional Republicans are being pressed, too. After all, they were the ones campaigning and hearing directly from their constituencies. They were the ones putting their political lives on the line.

When asked for the reasons they feel the party suffered, the responses vary. Affordability, health care, immigration, poor messaging. And, of course, the Iran war, which is difficult to decouple from Israel.

But thus far, not a single congressional Republican who won or lost on Tuesday is putting the onus on Israel and America’s relationship with the Jewish state.

There’s little doubt what Vance would like to see: a detwinning with Israel, and a bilateral relationship reduced to the kind Washington has with the United Kingdom or South Korea. Diplomatic allies? Yes. Closeness? Absolutely not.

But Trump’s comment, specifically the “incredibly” part, revealed a lack of true belief in the claim that fault lies with Israel. In fact, he’s spent the bulk of his energy the last week blaming poor candidates, the media, election officials, Democratic schemes and everything else he can think of.

Meanwhile, on Election Day itself, he touted the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to prematurely end annual American defense aid, to the tune of billions of dollars, which is music to Trump’s ears.

That, coupled with Trump’s consistent refrain that the Iran war was necessary, and he’d do it again, even knowing it would cost him politically, is a strong indicator that Trump isn’t the one in the administration holding a grudge against Israel.

Yes, the war will continue to be a thorn in the president’s side, as Democrats launch investigations into the conflict and even impeachments.

But if Trump’s history is any guide, those actions will only lead to a back-stiffening from the White House, rather than an offloading of blame on a third party, even assuming that third party – Netanyahu – is still in charge.