{"id":2585753,"date":"2026-03-31T15:02:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gas-prices-pose-danger-for-trump-ahead-of-midterm-elections\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:05:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T19:05:48","slug":"gas-prices-pose-danger-for-trump-ahead-of-midterm-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gas-prices-pose-danger-for-trump-ahead-of-midterm-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Gas prices pose danger for Trump ahead of midterm elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgas-prices-pose-danger-for-trump-ahead-of-midterm-elections%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2585753&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece analyzes how rising gasoline prices amid the Iran conflict are shaping political risk for Donald Trump and the Republican Party ahead of the 2026 elections. Since the war began in late February, gas prices have surged, with the national average approaching $4 per gallon and bills up by about a dollar in a short period. Iran\u2019s actions, including restricting access too the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil passage, are cited as a key driver of the price spike.<\/p>\n<p>Polls cited in the article suggest notable voter sensitivity to energy costs: a Reuters\/Ipsos survey found that about 55% of households say their finances have been affected and roughly 87% expect prices to rise further soon, while 63% disapproved of the administration\u2019s handling of the cost of living and only 35% approved of Trump on the economy. The White House contends that prices will fall once U.S. goals in Iran are achieved, and it emphasizes efforts to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-ditches-putin-price-hike-narrative-to-instead-blame-republicans-for-high-gas-prices-under-democrat-president-and-congress\/\" title=\"Biden Ditches &quot;Putin Price Hike&quot; Narrative to Instead Blame Republicans for High ... Under Democrat ... and Congress\">boost energy supply<\/a> and \u201cunleash American energy dominance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The piece also highlights mixed views among Trump supporters and Republican strategists. Some voters fear the price surge could hurt GOP prospects in the midterms, while others remain hopeful that the conflict could end soon and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/backfire-oil-prices-soar-as-market-rejects-biden-administrations-strategic-reserve-ploy\/\" title=\"Backfire: ... ... Soar as Market Rejects Biden Administration&#039;s Strategic Reserve Ploy\">relieve price pressures<\/a>. On the ground, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nation-reacts-to-emergency-alert-system-test-going-off-two-minutes-early\/\" title=\"Nation responds to early Emergency Alert System test.\">individuals expressed frustration<\/a> with high fuel costs but varied in optimism about the war\u2019s trajectory and its political fallout. The article notes ongoing uncertainty about how long the conflict will last and who may emerge as Iran\u2019s next leader, underscoring the broader question of how foreign policy will influence domestic political dynamics.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Record gas prices pose danger for Trump as Iran war shows no signs of ending<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>&rsquo;s war against Iran is colliding with political reality, as surging gas prices threaten <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republican-party\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"514\">Republican<\/a> control of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"31\">Congress<\/a> ahead of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/midterms\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"7693\">2026 elections<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Pocketbook issues are expected to dominate the midterm elections, and the recent spike in gas prices is emerging as a potential political liability for the president. Iran has choked off access to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy\/4509639\/most-important-energy-assets-iran-war\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy\/4509639\/most-important-energy-assets-iran-war\/\">Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, a vital shipping lane between Iran and Oman through which nearly one-fifth of the world&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/austin-bay-how-do-we-improve-global-maritime-security\/\" title=\"Austin Bay: How Do We Improve Global Maritime Security?\">oil supply passes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4509387\/mark-sanford-launches-comeback-house-bid\/\">Trump critic and former Rep. Mark Sanford launches comeback bid for House<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4509267\/watch-live-white-house-news-briefing-iran-war-day-31\/\">WATCH LIVE: White House to hold news briefing amid Iran war&nbsp;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4508733\/ken-paxton-cpac-texas-senate-runoff-cornyn\/\">Paxton dominates CPAC as GOP frets over Texas Senate runoff<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Since the war started on Feb. 28, gas prices have risen nearly a dollar, hitting a national average of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4510200\/gas-prices-over-4-per-gallon-most-expensive-since-2022\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4510200\/gas-prices-over-4-per-gallon-most-expensive-since-2022\/\">$4 per gallon<\/a> on Tuesday. This level has not been seen since August 2022, when former President Joe Biden was in office.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tpd-featured-video featured-post-video in-content bridtv\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2548293\" class=\"brid\" style=\"width:1280;height:720;\"> <\/div>\n<div class=\"tpd-featured-video-placeholder\" style=\"position:relative;overflow:hidden;width:100%;padding-top:56.25%;background-color:#000;\">\n<div style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;width:100%;height:100%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>If prices continue to climb, Republicans risk facing a voter backlash that could cost them control of one or both chambers of Congress, curtailing the final two years of Trump&rsquo;s presidency. That political risk is already showing up in early polling.<\/p>\n<p>A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/rising-gas-prices-hitting-us-household-finances-more-pain-is-expected-2026-03-20\/\">Reuters\/Ipsos poll<\/a> released earlier this month found that 55% of respondents had their household finances &ldquo;somewhat&rdquo; impacted by increased gas prices. About 87% also said they thought it was probable that gas prices would rise further over the coming month.<\/p>\n<p>Even more worrying for Trump is that 63% disapproved of the administration&rsquo;s handling of &#8203;the cost of living in the U.S. The Reuters poll also found just 35% said Trump was doing a good job on the U.S. economy.<\/p>\n<p>The White House claimed that once the U.S. has achieved its goals in Iran, gas prices would decrease.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;When Operation Epic Fury is complete, gas prices will plummet back to the multi-year lows American drivers enjoyed before these short-term disruptions,&rdquo; said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. &ldquo;President Trump remains committed to fully unleashing American energy dominance, lowering costs, and putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking American families.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Yet, some of Trump&rsquo;s most fervent supporters fretted over gas prices and the midterm elections in interviews with the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/cpac\">Conservative Political Action Conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Hayden Harms, a 21-year-old college student from Amarillo, Texas, said rising gas prices are adding to his frustration with U.S. involvement abroad, which he does not see as directly benefiting Americans.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Look at how bad the gas prices are. This isn&rsquo;t what we voted for,&rdquo; Harms said, adding that he hopes the situation is short-lived. &ldquo;I can&rsquo;t be paying this much every time I need to fill up my car.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump&rsquo;s 2024 campaign pitch was to restore the American economy after four years of Democratic leadership. But high grocery and gas prices are threatening that message with just over seven months left until the elections.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This isn&rsquo;t making America great again,&rdquo; said Harms, who also warned that rising costs, particularly at the pump, could have political consequences for Republicans heading into the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think the GOP is going to get destroyed,&rdquo; Harms said, arguing that economic frustrations are eroding support. &ldquo;Every single day the gas prices are elevated, the worse off Republicans are in the midterms. That&rsquo;s the reality.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Xavier Heim, a 39-year-old Air Force veteran from Grapevine, Texas, said rising gas prices are frustrating but not unexpected given broader global events and past policy decisions.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t get me wrong, I&rsquo;m unhappy about it too,&rdquo; Heim said, recalling a recent fill-up for his truck that left him stunned at the cost. <\/p>\n<p>But he pointed to the COVID-era shutdowns, under Biden, as a turning point, arguing, &ldquo;We did that to ourselves. We shut down the country for probably no reason. Gas prices shot up more than they are now.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Leavitt sought to alleviate those fears during a Monday press briefing with reporters. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are fully tracking this short-term fluctuation in oil and diesel prices, and that&rsquo;s why the president and the administration have continually announced robust actions to provide stability in the global energy market,&rdquo; she said.<strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Leavitt noted the White House was working to increase global oil supply, both domestically and in conjunction with partners across Europe and the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>Midterm elections are generally seen as a referendum on the president&rsquo;s party. The GOP&rsquo;s control of both chambers has also made the elections even more fraught, as Democrats are itching to snatch back control of one chamber.<\/p>\n<p>Aaron Evans, president of&nbsp;Winning Republican Strategies, claimed the best-case scenario for the GOP is a decisive victory in Iran. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Americans always tend to vote with their wallets,&rdquo; he cautioned. &ldquo;And if we have to get into a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >deep foreign policy explanation<\/a> on why gas prices are going up, then you know that that normally doesn&rsquo;t play well. If we&rsquo;re explaining, we&rsquo;re losing.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;First and foremost, the fastest thing we can do is win the war in our end, get control of the Strait of Hormuz, [and] get shipping back to normal,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that Operation Epic Fury would last somewhere between four and six weeks. But at five weeks of war, it appears uncertain that there is a swift end in sight. Secretary of State Marco Rubio conceded that even as the U.S. is holding ongoing negotiations with one group of Iranian leaders, no one yet knows who will <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4509217\/marco-rubio-us-unsure-iran-leaders-negotiating-in-charge\/\">emerge as Iran&rsquo;s next leader.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The president has also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4509075\/trump-threatens-obliteration-irans-energy-grid-new-deal-isnt-reached-new-regime\/\">threatened U.S. escalation<\/a>&nbsp;if the negotiations do not result in an agreement.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4508561\/maga-iran-war-cpac\/\">MAGA&rsquo;S MOST FAITHFUL STICK BY TRUMP EVEN AS HE CONTEMPLATES EXTENDING IRAN WAR<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Even amid the uncertainty, some Trump voters expressed optimism that the war could end soon and eventually lead to relief at the gas pump.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The gas prices and everything, it will be temporary,&rdquo; said Pourchista Shahi of San Diego. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not going to last long like the Iraq war or the Syria war.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gas prices threaten Trump amid prolonged Iran war<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2757,"featured_media":2585754,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/FEA.Inflation3.120325.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[9168,69910,7408,3634],"class_list":["post-2585753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-economy","tag-gas-prices-2","tag-midterms","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/FEA.Inflation3.120325.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585753","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2757"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2585753"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585753\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2585757,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2585753\/revisions\/2585757"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2585754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2585753"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2585753"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2585753"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}