Guardian correspondents to take reader questions on Iran war and US midterms

Why This Matters

• The midterm elections will be the first national test of whether public opposition to the Iran war translates into losses for the president's party
• Control of Congress is at stake, shaping the administration's ability to advance its agenda
• The outcome will signal how far voters are willing to punish incumbents over an unpopular foreign conflict

Background

Midterm elections in the United States have long served as a referendum on the sitting president and his party's record. Foreign wars have frequently featured in those campaigns, and the conflict with Iran has moved to the centre of the political debate. The Guardian's live Q&A is designed to help readers understand what is at stake as voters prepare to go to the polls.

Key Perspectives

[Voters]: The war is described as unpopular, and the central question posed by The Guardian is whether that discontent costs Trump's party at the ballot box. [The White House and Republican candidates]: They will be watching whether the war's unpopularity depresses support among their own voters or mobilises the opposition. [The reporters]: The correspondents are gathering reader questions to explain how the conflict is reshaping American politics and what it means for the midterms.

What to Watch

• The 6 October Q&A, where reporters will address reader questions on the war's political impact
• Whether the unpopularity of the war shows signs of shifting voter sentiment as the elections approach
• The midterm results and what they reveal about the political cost of the conflict for the president's party