Democrats stay mostly united against President Donald Trump, but the strikes on Iran are starting to reveal some splits in the party.
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closed due to accident with life-threatening injuries A Boeing 727 passenger jet previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein has been sitting for years, decaying in a scrapyard at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport in Glynn County, and News4JAX was granted permission to tour the plane.A decaying jet once owned by Jeffrey Epstein sits in a Georgia scrapyard. Here’s a look inside Read full article: A decaying jet once owned by Jeffrey Epstein sits in a Georgia scrapyard. Here’s a look insideFlorida AG says state attorney misinterpreted firearm registry law, calls for civil enforcement against JacksonvilleHow local law enforcement agencies, military bases and ports are responding amid Middle East conflictHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Republican members of Congress stand while Democrats keep their seats during President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. – For Democrats demoralized at being shut out of power in Washington, the past several months have offered reason for optimism.. Heading into a midterm election year in which they are just a few seats shy of reclaiming the U.S. House majority, Democrats have also kept the White House on defense with criticism of Trump's economic policies and ties toBut the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran could test the durability of that cohesion. Initially, Democrats balanced condemnation of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was“We need a strong, clear, vocal united opposition party to fight back and put a check on his power,” Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, Illinois, who is competing in a Democratic congressional primary this month, said in an interview. But some divisions are surfacing as a handful of Democrats, especially those who are strongly aligned with Israel, express reservations about the war powers measure. Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio won't back an Iran resolution. Before the strike, Rep. Josh Gottheimer also said he would vote no., D-Pa., who backed a war powers vote tied to Venezuela in January, also has broken with Democrats over the Iranian measure and rejected arguments that the attack was illegal, spurring frustration among some party leaders. “John Fetterman knows better,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday on CNN as he pressed for an Iran vote this week. Republicans are also facing internal dissent, with prominent supporters of Trump's “America First” movement openly questioning how the strikes square with his longtime condemnation of military adventurism. Trump, who did little to prepare Americans for the prospect of such a dramatic conflict, said Monday the operation could last four to five weeks. He hasn’t articulated a clear exit strategy and warns that American casualties could mount, which will pose a severe test of voter patience for the conflict. The war could also lead to rising gas prices and economic volatility that may only bolster Democratic arguments that the president is out of touch with the financial realities facing many Americans. But the dynamic nonetheless poses challenges for Democrats, who have faced a searing internal debate over the party's relationship with Israel in the wake of the war in Gaza. Then-Presidentloyalty to Israel during the heat of the 2024 campaign was starkly at odds with younger generations outraged by the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza. By the timerose to the top of the ticket that year, she struggled to win over some younger voters who are critical to Democratic success. When asked whether he was concerned those divisions could resurface, Paco Fabian, the political director for the progressive advocacy group Our Revolution, said “definitely” and acknowledged that Democrats “aren’t monolithic.” But he also suggested a shift was underway, noting the results of a New Jersey special election last month. During that campaign, the affiliated super PAC of the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs committee sought to thwart the moderate candidate, Tom Malinowski, after he questioned unconditional aid to the Israeli government. Those efforts appeared to backfire with the more progressive contender, Analilia Mejia, winning the primary. “A lot of folks are waking up to that influence,” Fabian said. “Given what's going on right now, I don't think the moment is doing AIPAC and Israel any favors.” Sympathy toward Israel appears to be shifting. Three years ago, 54% of Americans sympathized more with the Israelis, compared with 31% for the Palestinians, according toreleased last month. Now, their support is about evenly balanced, with 41% saying their sympathies lie more with the Palestinians, and only 36% saying the same about the Israelis. Americans’ initial reactions to airstrikes also appeared more negative than positive, early polling suggested. About 6 in 10 U.S. adults disapproved of the U.S. decision to take military action in Iran, according to a CNN poll conducted via text message over the weekend. A separate snap poll from The Washington Post conducted via text message on Sunday suggested that about half of those polled opposed the strikes, while 39% were in support. Roughly 1 in 10 were unsure. Democrats and independents drove much of the disapproval in those early polls, while Republicans were much more supportive. The CNN poll found majorities of Americans thought Trump should be required to get congressional approval for any further military action in Iran. About 8 in 10 Democrats and roughly 7 in 10 independents said that, compared to about 3 in 10 Republicans. The initial political impact of the attacks in Iran could emerge as soon as Tuesday during the first primary elections of this year's midterm campaign. In North Carolina, Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam was already going into her bid to unseat two-term Rep. Valerie Foushee with backing from Our Revolution and other top progressives. After receiving support from groups tied to AIPAC during her 2022 campaign, Foushee's campaign rejected such contributions this cycle. Over the weekend, she said she doesn't support “Trump's illegal war with Iran” and would back the war powers resolution.ahead of Tuesday's vote criticizing Trump for “starting another endless war” and promising to never accept support from “the pro-Israel lobby.” Ahead of the March 17 primary in Illinois, AIPAC-aligned groups have also criticized Biss, the Evanston mayor who is aiming to become the Democratic candidate to succeed the retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. In the interview, Biss spoke of the “backlash I'm hearing people have against AIPAC, their MAGA-aligned money and their Trump-aligned policy agenda.” Asked about such predictions, Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for AIPAC’s affiliated super PAC, said"the key distinction will be between those who recognize that Iran is a murderous regime that tortures women for leaving their hair uncovered, hangs gay people, and executes peaceful democratic protestors, and those who will turn a blind eye to the regime’s atrocities.” Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.News4JAX walks through Jeffrery Epstein's old plane now sitting at a SE GA scrapyardTotal lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red overnight: What to look forMemorial at Patriot Oaks Academy for 12-year-old killed in crash outside schoolJax Beach residents hoping to steer clear from unpermitted events as police stay vigilantCause of mysterious odor in Glynn County still unknown after it sent some students to hospitalWhen will we see rain and how much will we get?Should Waymo & its self-driving robotaxis come to Jacksonville?Crusaders Boys Basketball Preps For 3rd RoundCouncilman calls for president to temporarily step down amid JEA text controversyShowers Set to Drench Northeast Florida Through SaturdayMore than 60 people charged for speeding in SJC since Florida’s ‘Super Speeder’ law went into effect
Politics Greg Landsman Elections Paco Fabian Analilia Mejia Tom Malinowski Kamala Harris Ali Khamenei John Fetterman Donald Trump Hakeem Jeffries Daniel Biss Joshua Gottheimer Janice Schakowsky Washington News Jeffrey Epstein Valerie Foushee
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