‘Just a Devastating Number’: CNN Data Guru Warns Iran War Could Doom GOP in Midterms

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten has warned that President Donald Trump’s war in Iran is “historically unpopular” and represents an increasingly dangerous political liability for Republicans ahead of the midterms, particularly with conservative-leaning independents.

Appearing on CNN News Central on Tuesday, Enten told host Jon Berman that public opinion had deteriorated sharply since the conflict began.

“Historically unpopular, that’s the phrase that I would use,” Enten said. “The war was unpopular to start off with, and it’s become even less popular.”

Citing a Washington Post poll, Enten said Trump’s net approval rating on the Iran war had fallen from -13 points in early March to -40 points, calling it the worst survey result he had seen on the issue.

“I tried to find every single poll I possibly could,” he said. “I believe this -40 points represents the least popular poll in terms of Trump’s net approval rating on the Iran war, the entire war so far.”

Enten then showed current attitudes toward Iran side-by-side with public opinion on the Iraq War during the 2006 midterm cycle, arguing that dissatisfaction is even more pronounced now despite the conflict being far newer.

According to the polling he cited, 68% of Americans now believe the Iran war has not been worth it, while 28% say it has. By comparison, 58% of Americans said the Iraq War had not been worth it in 2006 after three years of fighting.

“And so this is a very, very bad number for the president,” Enten said. “I think a lot of Republicans in Congress don’t like this number one iota.”

Berman noted that Republicans suffered sweeping congressional losses in the 2006 midterms, telling viewers he was surprised opposition to the Iran conflict had reached even higher levels so early in the fighting.

Enten said independent voters appear to be driving the trend. He highlighted polling that shows 77% of independents and 63% of Republican-leaning independents believe the war has not been worth it.

“Just a devastating number for Republicans,” Enten said.

“They need these voters. They need these voters. They need these voters,” he repeated, pointing all around the board at the different independent cohorts. “And right now, on the Iran war, they most certainly don’t have these voters.”

Watch above via CNN.

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