Congressional Republicans want to talk Tehran, not Trump

By Patricia Zengerle | WASHINGTON

Republican U.S. congressional candidates worried that Donald Trump's struggling White House bid will damage them too have seized on one of President Barack Obama's signature foreign policy initiatives to try to ward off Democrats in the Nov 8 elections.

With control of the Senate and perhaps even the House of Representatives in the balance, millions of dollars has been spent on campaign advertisements criticizing last year's Iran nuclear pact, even in districts where foreign affairs generally are not a top concern.

Although Iran is unlikely to be most voters' main reason for choosing a candidate, strategists said the money could be well spent.

Iran provides a distraction for Republicans concerned that the unpopularity of Trump -- whose poll numbers are dropping as he fights off several allegations that he groped women -- could also sink party members further down the ballot.

-snip-

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-iran-nuclear-idUSKCN12I227