(WIFR) – As gas and grocery prices soar due to the war in Iran, local politicians say they know their constituents are frustrated.
“The President made a serious mistake in not taking his case to the American people before invading Iran,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Illinois.
“This is clearly a war the people did not want,” said Illinois Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-17th District.
“The fact of the matter is it is far easier to get into a war than to get out of a war and our president is struggling to get out of this one,” said Durbin.
On Feb. 28, the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Tehran responded by shutting off access to the Strait of Hormuz, which handles a fifth of the world’s energy supply. That has caused oil prices, most visibly gasoline prices, to skyrocket.
WIFR’s Mike Garrigan spoke with U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, 17th District Congressman Eric Sorensen and Sorensen’s November opponent, Republican Dillan Vancil, on where they stand on the ongoing conflict.
Defense budget debate
President Trump met with President Xi Jinping Thursday, as part of a highly-anticipated summit aimed at solidifying the trade relationship between the U.S. and China.
China is the world’s biggest buyer of Iranian oil, which remains trapped in the strait.
“A global recession, which would come from a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, would dramatically affect both China and the United States,” explained Philip Luck, economics director for The Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared before U.S. senators, trying to justify a $1.5 trillion defense budget to help pay for a war the administration has yet to justify before Congress.
Read more: Hegseth gets bipartisan grilling on rising costs of the Iran war and Trump’s end game
“Every policy we pursue, every budgetary item we request serves to ensure that this department remains laser-focused on increasing the lethality and survivability of our fighting forces from the front lines to the factory floor,” Hegseth said. “We truly believe this is a historic budget. And at every level we have made it a fiscally responsible budget. This is also a war fighting budget.”
“I remember when we invaded Iraq we debated it for weeks,” said Durbin. “We made a decision to bring it to a vote. The American people knew just what was coming if we voted for war.”
Questions over Rock Island Arsenal cuts
Congressman Eric Sorensen says the Trump administration has not provided answers about the war’s end.
“First thing first is the Strait of Hormuz should have been protected on day one,” said Sorensen. “And here we are on day 60-some and 20% of the world’s energy cannot get through that 20-mile narrow Strait of Hormuz.”
17th District U.S. Congressman from Illinois Eric Sorensen talks about the War in Iran and his April 29 exchange with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee(wifr)
During an Armed Services Committee Hearing on April 29, Sorensen questioned Hegseth about cuts to Joint Munitions Command at Rock Island Arsenal.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was questioned April 29 by Illinois 17th District Rep. Eric Sorensen.(Pool)
Below is part of that exchange:
Sorensen: “Can you tell me why you’re firing the people at Joint Munitions Command for no cause other than just telling them they are overhired or their surplus employees?”
Hegseth: “I would have to look into the particular circumstances of that, but there have been places where we haven’t been moving fast enough, with munitions. And when people don’t move fast enough in the Department of War, we find someone else who will run fast.”
Sorensen: “But this is Joint Munitions Command. I mean your department says that you’re prioritizing munitions, yet you cut 58% of Joint Munitions Command at Rock Island.”
Hegseth: “Because, as I’ve stated, the status quo at this department before the Trump Administration was unacceptable,”
Sorensen: “You testified that if you work hard, you do the work, you keep your job. But that’s not what’s happening. And you allege that’s being done to maximize efficiency, explain that.”
Hegseth: “Yes, thank you for asking that question. I’d love to clarify. I fundamentally believe that the Department of War should not be subject to collective bargaining. Full stop.”
Sorensen: “So people shouldn’t be able to fight for good wages and being treated well?”
Hegseth: “I think our department does a great job evaluating, providing pay and benefits for folks across the spectrum.”
Sorensen: “I would love to invite you to the Rock Island Aresenal so you can look these patriots in the eye and tell them that.”
“Joint Munitions Command is in charge of building our munitions capability,” said Sorensen. “What is this administration and what is Pete Hegseth doing? They’re firing the people there. Firing the people when we need to rebuild our munitions. That should be our canary in a coal mine. That should be our red flag that the people need to understand that this administration is not doing what’s right.”
Economic impacts
One of the most talked about impacts of the conflict is gas prices.
Dick Durbin speaks with WIFR in Rockford.(WIFR)
“We have gasoline hitting $4.89, $4.99 a gallon,” Durbin said. “I saw it as I drove from Chicago to Rockford. I see it in my hometown of Springfield. And the bottom line is the American people are paying the price. Outrageous gasoline prices because the president does not know how to get out of this war. He predicts every day that he’s either going to get out of it or get into it. He can’t keep up with it.”
Gas prices aren’t the only source of pain for Americans’ wallets. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in April, U.S. grocery prices are up nearly 3% compared to the same time last year. Wholesale inflation is up 6% since April of 2025.
“The people, my constituents have been asking please fight for us to be connected to affordable health care,” said Sorensen. “Please fight to lower prescription drug costs. Please fight to lower grocery costs. Please fight to make sure gas prices aren’t at $5 a gallon,” Sorensen said. “Where are we today? In committee and in Congress we are asking and demanding questions all the time. The demands that we are asking are not just because we want an opinion. No, we are asking because of our constituents. They need help. The people in Rockford and Freeport, they need to know going forward the costs are going to come down. But as we go forward, I can’t tell them that yet, because this administration isn’t listening yet.”
“I don’t think about American’s financial situation,” said President Trump to pool reporters Tuesday before departing for China. “I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
“I want to make sure the price of oil goes down, that people can afford to fill up their tanks, because everything’s going on a credit card that has a 25 percent interest rate on it, said Sorensen. ”That’s not fair. It’s especially not fair because this administration is giving the tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires while everyone else has to live off a credit card. That’s not how you make America great again.”
As of May 14, the average price of a gallon of gas in Illinois has crossed the $5 mark, according to AAA. The agency reports the national average sits at $4.53 a gallon.
Republican challenger weighs in
Dillan Vancil, the Republican candidate running against Sorensen in November’s 17th District Congressional race, said he cannot support the $1.5 trillion defense budget increase.
Dillan Vancil, the Republican challenger in Illinois’ 17th District Congressional race, shares his take on the war in Iran.(WIFR)
“That is astronomical,” Vancil said. “That is not what the taxpayers want. We have got to get this spending under control. We’re $39 trillion in debt and we want to raise the military budget substantially?”
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” the Republican hopeful went on to say. “I think that the way Trump has handled things to this point have been fine, but at some time we have got to reel this in and come to an end.”
Vancil said he wants to see fuel prices drop below $3 per gallon by July 4—the the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“And we can use that to bring everybody back together. Because Trump and the Republicans were voted in because of the America First agenda. Now, unfortunately, I don’t think…there has not been enough America First this first year and a half. I would love to start focusing more here at home.”
According to Nate Silver’s polling averages as of May 13, 37% of Americans support the Iran war.
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