Climbing prices for diesel fuel are adding to economic headwinds facing Republicans with just weeks left before the midterm elections as they confront prospects
Climbing prices for diesel fuel are adding to economic headwinds facing Republicans with just weeks left before the midterm elections as they confront prospects of higher costs at the pump and grocery stores with an electorate that is already frustrated by the cost of living.
The national average for a gallon of diesel hit $6.51 on Monday, according to AAA. That is nearly twice as high compared to a year ago and almost $1 more expensive than last month.
Diesel prices have surged in recent weeks due to conflict in the Middle East restraining production and refining, Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities and tight supplies of fuels heading into winter. Those factors are adding onto pressures from the war with Iran that has sent energy prices higher around the world with crude oil around $100 a barrel and costs for refined products spiking.
Expensive diesel has economic effects that reach beyond the pump and is a key input for the global economy, powering trucks and ships that transport goods, farm equipment and heavy machinery in factories. A sustained increase in diesel costs can have ripple effects across the economy, pushing up prices on all sorts of goods.
Diesel prices have reached record highs just as demand for the fuel is about to hit its peak with farmers starting to harvest their crops and falling temperatures increasing the use of heating oil.
Diesel and regular gasoline prices have spiked particularly higher in political battleground states in the Midwest, with Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin seeing significant jumps compared to the national average. Fuel prices are one of the most visible and unavoidable economic indicators for voters, making them a potent political issue in elections.
“There's a lot more for Democrats to overcome in terms of Republican preference in those states, but what's unique about gas prices is that you don't have to be very plugged into politics to be thinking about this,” said Chris Devine, an associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton.
The spikes have led some GOP lawmakers to call on the administration to take measures to blunt the impact of the global energy crunch from suspending fuel taxes to imposing an export ban on U.S.-refined diesel.
“Why doesn’t Pres Trump put an embargo on diesel exports like presidents in the 70s put embargoes on (agriculture) products (because) food prices were inflated. High diesel prices ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote on social media. Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is the Republican nominee for Senate in Iowa, backed Grassley’s idea.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said last week that the administration didn’t believe a ban on U.S. fuel or oil exports would help lower prices and Energy Secretary Chris Wright has rejected the idea on several occasions.
“We would consider an export ban if we thought that actually might lower prices, but that’s not the case,” he said.
Rising diesel prices are the latest economic headwind to hit Republicans trying to keep narrow majorities in Congress in November. Polling has found widespread disapproval over the state of the economy and the GOP’s handling of inflation, which has been running hot for more than five straight years.
More than three times as many voters said they were falling behind financially rather than getting ahead in a Fox News poll released last week. Sixty-one percent said gas prices were a major problem for their household, compared to 48% a year ago.
Americans are also blaming the Trump administration for what they see as a struggling economy. Nearly two-thirds of voters say the White House has made the economy worse, including 25% of Republicans, according to the Fox poll. Less than half of Republicans said the administration had approved the economy, highlighting growing dissatisfaction with the president’s own party as Election Day gets closer.
Races across the country have gotten tighter in recent weeks, including in reliably red states, where the president’s low approval ratings and frustrations over the economy, inflation and war with Iran are expanding the map of competitive seats.
Republicans have started to sound alarms about the number of competitive races in states where the party has recently dominated such as Iowa and Kansas, many of which are heavily rural and have economies that are particularly sensitive to high diesel costs.
The party has also devoted more attention and financial resources to GOP-leaning states in recent days amid polling showing races getting tighter, including Vice President JD Vance traveling to Kansas and Iowa last week.
“There's a lot of warning signs for Republicans here, and when Republicans are having to devote resources to states like Kansas, it’s a sign that Republicans should be concerned,” he added.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., recently traveled to Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa to help raise money and campaign for GOP candidates facing challenging reelection races.
“If you told me six months ago I was gonna be having to spend my time in those three states, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Kennedy said. “Those ought to be fat-guy layups for us.”
