IN FOCUS - Mar. 6, 2026

The war in Iran … err, “military hostilities” … is nearing the end of its first week, and divisions are already becoming clear within Arizona’s congressional delegation.

Democratic lawmakers have uniformly expressed concern or outright opposition to the military operation, especially President Trump’s decision to launch the attack without congressional approval or even debate. Congressman Greg Stanton’s remarks struck a common theme among Democrats, noting “the United States cannot be dragged into another open-ended foreign war. Americans know the cost of conflicts with no clear strategy, no defined objectives and no end in sight …”

Two of Arizona’s more junior delegation members - GOP Reps. Abe Hamadeh and Juan Ciscomani - each voiced support for U.S. military strikes in Iran.

GOP Reps. Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert find themselves in a precarious spot, as each has a history of arguing the power to declare war rests with Congress, not the President. In 2020, Congressmen Biggs and Schweikert were among just 11 Republicans who voted with Democrats to restrict the President’s ability to wage war without Congressional authorization. The measure did not become law, and none of the three Arizona Republicans has said anything critical of the current military operation.

Perhaps most interesting is GOP Rep. Eli Crane, a staunch MAGA disciple and former Navy SEAL. In an interview this week with Real America’s Voice, Rep. Crane called the military action “dicey,” and said he is worried about what comes next.

Said Congressman Crane: “We’ve spent trillions of dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We lost thousands and thousands of American lives. And, when you look at those places now, it’s very tough to make the argument that those places are better off now than when we went in there.”