Rep. Hinson backed Iran War and took big oil cash as Iowa gas prices surged

U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) has repeatedly voted against ending military hostilities in Iran while accepting tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from major oil companies. These companies are enjoying increased profits during the war, as Midwesterners face steep pain at the gas pump.

Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show that Hinson’s campaign and political action committees have taken $64,500 from oil and gas companies since 2021. The companies include Chevron, ExxonMobil, Valero, Phillips 66 and the American Petroleum Institute (API). After the war began in March, the companies gave Hinson $21,000 for her 2026 U.S. Senate campaign.

As the war in Iran disrupted global energy markets, international crude oil prices skyrocketed to an average $96 per barrel in the second quarter of 2026. The price surge resulted in historic quarterly earnings for major energy corporations. ExxonMobil reported earning $14.53 billion between April and June — more than double its profit from the same period in 2025. Chevron reported $12.1 billion in second-quarter profits this year, up from $2.49 billion in 2025.

While energy giants posted multibillion-dollar earnings, Iowans paid higher costs across the state. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Iowa jumped from roughly $3.00 last year, to $3.78 last month. Diesel prices also climbed significantly, reaching over $5.00 per gallon.

Despite the economic strain on Iowa families and businesses, Hinson voted six times between March and July 2026 against measures to limit or end U.S. military involvement in Iran and Lebanon, including votes on several war powers resolutions.

In private, however, Hinson expressed concern about the conflict’s fallout. Audio obtained by Politico from an event in Webster County in May showed Hinson calling the war a “political liability” due to fallen service members. Despite those remarks, Hinson continued to vote against congressional attempts to pull U.S. forces out of the region.

Hinson, 43, has served in the U.S. House since 2021. She is seeking the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), who is retiring when her term expires in January. Hinson will face state Rep. Josh Turek (D-Council Bluffs) in the general election. Although Democrats have struggled to win statewide elections in Iowa in recent years, national polling suggests a neck and neck race between Hinson and Turek.

Hinson and Turek’s campaigns did not respond to a request for comment.