Skip to content

PoliticsDeveloping

DeSantis says Iran war is a drag on Republicans before midterms

By

Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, mostly center (67%).

4 articles in total, 1 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Two men outdoors under blue sky, one gesturing mid-speech in a dark jacket.
Image via NewsweekHow images are chosenReport this image

Outgoing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the Iran war is a “big, big drag” on Republican candidates in this midterm cycle. In remarks on Stephen A. Smith’s podcast on Monday night, he tied the war to high gas prices, which The Hill reports reached a record high for an election day at $4.11 a gallon. He also said Democrats have “more momentum” and that Republican campaigns see the same polls showing Democratic gains. DeSantis, a 2024 challenger to President Trump, has repaired his relationship with the president and campaigned for Republicans this cycle. He did not say whether he will run for president in 2028.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. Editors read every story. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. DeSantis said the Iran war is hurting Republican candidates in the midterm elections.

    Across the spectrumReported byCenter2Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    The Hill, Newsweek
    Right
    Washington Examiner
    Far Right
    The Daily Caller

  2. DeSantis linked the Iran war to higher gasoline prices that voters are feeling.

    Reported byCenter2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    The Hill, Newsweek
    Right
    Washington Examiner

  3. Gas prices reached a record high for an election day, averaging $4.11 a gallon, according to the reporting.

    One outletThe Hill· Center

  4. DeSantis said Democrats have “more momentum” and that Republican campaigns see the same polls showing Democratic gains.

    One outletNewsweek· Center

  5. DeSantis compared the Iran war to the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro, which he said was finished in roughly 90 minutes.

    One outletWashington Examiner· Right

  6. DeSantis made the remarks in an interview on Stephen A. Smith’s podcast, which aired Monday night.

    Reported byCenter2Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    The Hill, Newsweek
    Right
    Washington Examiner

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that DeSantis said the Iran war and high gas prices are hurting Republicans before the midterms. Center coverage stresses his break with Trump and Democratic momentum, while right-side coverage stresses his criticism of the party and its 2028 implications.

  • the left

    No coverage yet

    No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center headlines lead with DeSantis’s remarks on the Iran war or his break with Trump, and Newsweek adds the Democratic surge to its headline.

    DeSantis Breaks With Trump Day Before Midterm as Democrats Surge
    NewsweekCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    1 outlet · 1 opinion

    Washington Examiner headline casts it as DeSantis airing GOP problems with 2028 in view; the far-right Daily Caller opinion piece casts it as a challenge to other Republicans to be as candid.

    DeSantis calls out issues with GOP ahead of the midterm elections as 2028 looms in distance
    Washington ExaminerRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left

    Has not covered this story.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    most infuriatinggaslightingGets Honest

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    most infuriatingMore neutral: one of the most notable

    The phrase adds the writer’s emotional judgement about the earlier administration rather than describing the facts.

    One of the most infuriating things about the Biden years was the shameless, nonstop insistence, from the…

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    gaslightingMore neutral: repeated claims

    The word accuses the administration of deliberate deception without evidence in this passage.

    Yet, the administration’s gaslighting continued, unfettered.

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Gets HonestMore neutral: Discusses

    The headline implies that other Republicans have been dishonest about the war, a judgement the coverage does not establish.

    Ron DeSantis Gets Honest About Iran War.

    Used byThe Daily Caller (Far Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Iran war as a drag on the GOP
  • Gas prices tied to the conflict
  • Democratic momentum and enthusiasm gap
  • DeSantis’s break with Trump

Leaves out

  • DeSantis’s 2028 presidential prospects

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • The HillCenter

    DeSantis: War in Iran 'big, big drag' on Republicans

    Outgoing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said the Iran war is a “big, big drag” on Republican candidates this midterm cycle. DeSantis joined sports and political commentator Stephen A. …

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
  • NewsweekCenter

    DeSantis Breaks With Trump Day Before Midterm as Democrats Surge

    The GOP governor said he was particularly concerned about an enthusiasm gap between the parties.

    Read at Newsweek (opens in a new tab)

From the right

1 outlet · 1 opinion

Leads with

  • Effects of the Iran war on voters
  • DeSantis criticism of GOP on tech and immigration
  • 2028 presidential outlook
  • Other Republicans’ candor
See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    DeSantis calls out issues with GOP ahead of the midterm elections as 2028 looms in distance

    Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) aired out his issues with the Republican Party as the next presidential campaign cycle is about to begin, citing the effects of the Iran war on Americans, as well as the party’s handling of big tech companies and immigration. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily CallerFar RightOpinion

    Ron DeSantis Loaded verb“Gets Honest”The headline implies that other Republicans have been dishonest about the war, a judgement the coverage does not establish.More neutral: DiscussesDisagree with this highlight? About Iran War. Why Can’t Other Republicans Do The Same?

    Trump “obviously ran saying he wasn’t going to do a Middle East war”

    Read at The Daily Caller (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Center

    50 min later

    Its first report, Nov 3, 1:40 PM EST

  • Right

    First to report

    Washington Examiner, Nov 3, 12:51 PM EST

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Washington ExaminerRightNov 3, 12:51 PM EST
  2. NewsweekCenterNov 3, 1:40 PM EST
  3. The HillCenterNov 3, 2:50 PM EST

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

Read next

Help someone else find the truth beneath the surface

Most people see one side of a story. Share this one, so they can see how every side is telling it and decide for themselves.

Email it
Embed

Show this story’s coverage card on your own site, blog or class page. It has the headline, who is covering it and a link back here, and it tracks nobody. See the card

Seen a mistake? Tell us what is wrong with this page