Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

House Republicans hope to transform the Biden-Harris administration's foreign policy choices into a campaign topic and investigate potential consequences for the 2024 race.

In the upcoming 2024 election, foreign policy typically takes a backseat to domestic issues like the economy, immigration, and abortion. According to recent Fox polling, only 3-4% of voters in key battleground states prioritize foreign policy. However, history suggests that foreign policy can significantly impact presidential elections, both positively and negatively.

The Vietnam War and the Iranian hostage crisis adversely affected the presidencies of Lyndon Johnson and Jimmy Carter, respectively, while Ronald Reagan's success on the international stage boosted his support. George H.W. Bush, despite his Gulf War victory, lost to Bill Clinton in 1992, highlighting the complex relationship between foreign policy and electoral outcomes.

Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

Republicans are eager to capitalize on this dynamic and scrutinize Vice President Kamala Harris's role in the Biden administration's foreign policy decisions. They point to the withdrawal from Afghanistan, executions of Israeli hostages, and handling of the Israel/Hamas conflict as potential weaknesses.

"I think it's open to criticism because the vice president was intimately involved in that discussion (to withdraw from Afghanistan)," said Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.).

Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

Democrats, on the other hand, argue that Harris and President Biden deserve credit for ending the war in Afghanistan, despite the botched withdrawal. However, Kelly Barnett, a Gold Star mother who lost her son in the Kabul airport bombing, criticizes the administration for its lack of support.

"We've been disrespected so much in the last three years," Barnett told Fox News. "No response from them. No 'I'm sorry.'"

Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

The House is set to vote on several measures related to China, Israel, and the Middle East, providing Republicans with a platform to critique the administration's foreign policy. Additionally, the House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to release a report on the Afghanistan withdrawal and will subpoena Secretary of State Antony Blinken to testify.

The State Department, however, contends that Blinken will not be available on the requested date.

Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

"The chairman offered the secretary any session day in the month of September to come in, and he refused. Instead, he vaguely suggested November or December — when it is far too late for Congress to take legislative action to fix the problems at the State Department that led to the withdrawal," said Leslie Shedd, spokeswoman for the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The upcoming Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for the families of service members killed in Afghanistan will further amplify scrutiny of the administration's foreign policy.

Foreign Policy: A Potential Game-Changer in the 2024 Election

Whether foreign policy becomes a decisive factor in the 2024 election remains uncertain. However, the focus on Vice President Harris's involvement in foreign policy decisions and the potential consequences of the administration's actions could play a role, particularly in close races.