Author: Alexander Detev
US Republicans are struggling to retain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, and fuel prices are proving to be a stumbling block.
Republicans are driving more. And paying more.
Donald Trump won the 2024 election on a promise to stop rising prices, and nearly two years later the result is exactly the opposite. Fuel prices have doubled due to the war in Iran and Ukraine's ongoing attacks on Russian energy infrastructure. At his meeting with Zelensky in New York on Sunday, Trump demanded that Ukraine stop its attacks on energy facilities in Russia in an attempt to stop the rise in markets.
This is no coincidence. A study by the Brookings Institution think tank shows that voters in areas where Republicans have recently won drive about 26% more than in areas where Democrats dominate. The reason is geographical - so-called red areas are less populated, Republicans traditionally win in smaller towns whose residents travel more. That is precisely why the fact that in just one year the price of a gallon of gasoline has increased by more than 40% to nearly $4.50, and of diesel - by more than 70% to $6.50, creates an opportunity for Democrats to break through among Republican voters. Americans are citing rising prices as their main concern in the current election campaign.
Candidates are demanding decisive government action
The president's approval rating is falling, according to polls, and according to a recent NBC survey, as many as 55% of Americans believe that Trump's policies are harming the economy.
To stop the rise in fuel prices, Trump said he was ready to impose a ban on the export of diesel, which this week reached its highest price in history. The president's statement comes after calls from Republican congressional candidates who are urging the administration to implement all possible measures to lower prices before the November elections.
Only an end to the war can calm prices
The US oil industry has warned that such a measure will have only a short-term effect - it will lead to an increase in prices on world markets, as well as to less production. "Higher diesel prices are a cause for concern, but the main factor in higher prices is the war in Iran," said Gbenga Ajilore of the Center for Budget and Policy Objectives. "End the war in Iran, open the Strait of Hormuz and diesel prices will fall. Any other solution will fail," the economist believes.
To open the Strait of Hormuz, the US must reach an agreement with Iran. However, it is unlikely that Tehran would make this gift to Trump just before the crucial elections for his party.