Pence Says Trump Policies Contributed to GOP Midterm Losses

Former Vice President Mike Pence said Republicans lost ground in the November 3 midterm elections because voters rejected President Donald Trump’s tariffs, foreign policy and the administration’s perceived corruption, and urged the party to return to traditional conservative principles. His remarks were an interpretation of the results; the accounts describe his views but do not independently establish what drove voters’ choices.

Pence said voters had turned away from the party’s protectionist tariffs, its approach to Russia and Iran, and what he described as the marginalization of abortion rights. He also said concerns about an air of corruption in the administration had affected millions of Americans. He did not establish that Trump or his family had improperly benefited financially; in one interview, Pence said he could not determine whether wrongdoing had occurred.

Pence agreed that the Iran conflict frustrated voters but disputed the idea that starting the war was the main cause. He said the administration’s decision to stop short of its objectives, along with stalled negotiations and little progress, had contributed to frustration. His comments contrasted with Vice...