Hegseth targeted in Democratic campaign attacks
The gist
Democrats are putting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the center of midterm campaign messaging over the war with Iran and high prices.
His prominence lets candidates tie Republicans to an unpopular war weeks before voting.
How it unfolded
- Mar 15, 2025US military carried out strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen; Hegseth had shared exact timelines and target surveillance in a Signal chat hours before the operation.
- Oct 16, 2026In a Minnesota Senate debate, Peggy Flanagan said she would grade Hegseth an "F" and would vote to impeach him, while Michele Tafoya gave him an "incomplete" and did not say whether she would vote to impeach.
- Oct 17, 2026The New York Times reported Democrats are increasingly making Hegseth a main character in midterm messaging over the war with Iran and high prices; CNN reported on his political ambitions and the risks to them.