WASHINGTON — After voting no seven times, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., flipped and cast the deciding vote to advance a War Powers Resolution to rein in President Donald Trump’s war in Iran without authorization from Congress.

In a 50-47 vote, Cassidy joined fellow Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., who have previously supported the measure.

The vote marks the first time a War Powers Resolution on Trump’s Iran conflict has gained enough Republican support to advance to a floor debate.

Cassidy’s vote to advance the resolution by Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine came just three days following a loss in the Louisiana GOP primary in which Trump backed challenger Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La.

In a post on social media after the vote, Cassidy said, “While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury. In Louisiana, I’ve heard from people, including President Trump’s supporters, who are concerned about this war.” 

“Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified,” he continued.

Sens. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, did not vote. Earlier Tuesday, Trump endorsed Cornyn’s Senate primary runoff challenger and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Earlier votes failed

Efforts to limit Trump’s powers on military action in Iran failed last week in both the House and Senate — though signs of a shift among Republicans showed when Murkowski flipped for the first time to support the measure.

Trump’s war in Iran is making his approval ratings sag as gas prices soar and the operation remains at a stalemate. 

A New York Times/Siena poll released Monday showed the president’s approval rating sank to a new low for his second term, at 37%. On the question of Iran, 64% of respondents said Trump made the wrong decision on launching the conflict.

Thirteen American service members have died in the war, which Trump launched alongside Israel on Feb. 28. The latest Pentagon figures reveal 406 service members were injured during Operation Epic Fury, the administration’s name for the conflict.

According to a report released Monday by the Human Rights Activists in Iran organization, which has an address in Virginia, just over 1,700 civilians, including 307 children, have been killed since the war began. Thousands more have been injured, and the report notes the figures “should be understood as minimums.”

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been choked off since the outbreak of the conflict, causing price spikes in the global oil, natural gas and fertilizer markets.

Americans are paying on average $4.53 for a gallon of regular gas, according to AAA.

WASHINGTON — An effort to force President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval for further war actions in Iran failed in the U.S. Senate for the fourth time Wednesday, with all but one Republican continuing to support the president’s Middle East conflict.

Senators voted down the measure, 47-52, with a similar partisan breakdown as earlier votes that saw one Republican and one Democrat break with their parties.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who previously sponsored one of the Iran War Powers Resolutions, again split with his party to oppose Trump’s military actions in Iran, which the president launched without approval from Congress. 

As he has previously, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was the only Democrat to support Trump continuing the war in Iran.

Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., did not vote.

Senate Democrats have vowed more votes ahead to rein in Trump’s joint operations with Israel in Iran.

Wednesday’s War Powers Resolution was sponsored by Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Tim Kaine, D-Va., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

Fourth failed vote

Prior votes to cut off Trump’s unchecked military operations in Iran were held March 18, March 4 and June 27, when the U.S. and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities last year.

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has claimed the lives of 13 American troops, and as of Wednesday injured 395, according to the Pentagon. Thousands of civilians in Iran and across the Middle East have been killed and injured in the shelling on both sides.

Meanwhile, the war has set off an oil crisis across the globe as Iran and the U.S. vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea that moves one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas.

A gallon of regular gas peaked at $4.16 on average across the U.S. last week, while diesel reached nearly $5.97, according to AAA. As of Wednesday, a gallon of regular gas sat at $4.10 on average, and diesel at $5.63.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday showed voters held Trump responsible for the spike in gas prices by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.