Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana sharply criticized Vice President JD Vance on Thursday for suggesting that the war in Iran was responsible for the GOP's losses in the 2026 midterm elections, telling him to "put down the crack pipe."

During an appearance on CNN's "The Arena" with host Kasie Hunt, Kennedy questioned Vance's decision to blame the election results on the conflict in the Middle East. He argued that Republicans suffered defeats for broader reasons, particularly their failure to address Americans' economic concerns.

"I don't think the Vice President did himself any favors by sending out that tweet after the election," Kennedy said. "This loss was not because of Iran. That might have played a part, but I don't think every statewide Republican in Texas lost their election because they think American foreign policy is too interventionist. Put down the crack pipe."

Kennedy was referring to a post Vance published the day after Election Day, in which the vice president identified the Iran war as the central reason Republicans lost ground.

"The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night," Vance wrote. "Any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there."

Kennedy offered a different assessment, saying Democrats had done a substantially better job connecting with voters over financial pressures and the rising cost of living. He also criticized Trump's efforts to blame inflation on former President Joe Biden, arguing that voters hold the current administration responsible for the state of the economy.

"The economy belongs to President Trump," Kennedy said. "He might not have fathered this child, but he's gotta raise it."

The senator's comments came as Republicans continue to assess their losses in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which handed Democrats control of both chambers of Congress. Vance's explanation has become part of a broader debate among Republicans over whether the administration's foreign policy, economic performance or other political decisions contributed to the defeats.

Hunt also asked Kennedy whether the election results might encourage him to pursue a presidential campaign. Kennedy said he was planning to seek reelection to the Senate in 2028 but did not rule out other possibilities.

"I don't know, Kasie," he said. "I'm planning on running for reelection to the Senate, but things are getting weirder and weirder and weirder around here.