OMAHA — Three Democratic candidates facing tough House races against incumbents in Republican-heavy Midwestern districts joined forces Wednesday to bash the Bush administration and Congress on Iraq policy.

From Nebraska, Jim Esch of Omaha and Max Yashirin of Lincoln appeared at a joint news conference with Iowa’s Rob Hubler of Council Bluffs.

“Republican leadership would have you believe some alien third party has been in charge,’’ said Hubler, who’s running against GOP Rep. Steve King in Iowa’s 5th District, the most Republican congressional district in the state.

But it’s been President Bush, aided by the Republicans in Congress, who’ve fouled up the nation’s foreign policy, Hubler said.

Esch, who faces Republican Lee Terry in Nebraska’s 2nd District, said the nation’s poor economy can be blamed partly on the Iraq war and how it’s been conducted.

The Democrats said Bush’s decision in January 2007 to send about 30,000 more troops to Iraq — the so-called surge — was a gamble, and the ensuing reduction in fighting isn’t justification.

“Gambling with our troops is not an option we should take,’’ Esch said.

Nebraska Republican Party chairman Mark Quandahl said the criticism was “silly.’’

“The surge has been roundly acknowledged as working,’’ Quandahl said. “Even (Democratic presidential nominee Barack) Obama has acknowledged that the surge has worked.’’

But Yashirin, a former Marine, said one of the real reasons for better conditions in Iraq is the rejection of al-Qaida by Iraq’s Sunni Muslims.

“Please don’t tell us what stalwart warriors and … strategists you are,’’ Yashirin said of the Republicans.

And Hubler said the surge was too little, too late.

Even Iraqis are ready for the United States to withdraw troops, Esch said.

The three also discussed taxes, saying Republicans’ claims of being the lower-tax party aren’t valid.

Americans didn’t see a true tax cut during the Bush years, Hubler said, but a deferment of taxes that will have to be paid eventually. Each person in the United States has $32,000 worth of the national debt hanging over his or her head, he said.

Esch said Washington needs “new management.’’ But Quandahl said none of the Democrats who spoke “has shown any sort of management experience.’’

“It makes you wonder what the heck they’re talking about,’’ Quandahl said.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s campaign is holding a grand opening Wednesday for its Omaha office. He’s trying to shave off the electoral vote tied to the 2nd District, because although the state is expected to vote Republican, the electoral vote can be split in Nebraska.

Esch said he hopes to coordinate with the Obama campaign leading up to the Nov. 4 election.

“I think it’s going to help us tremendously,’’ Esch said.