Rising Gas Prices Plague Democrats Five Weeks from Election 

Gas prices have begun to rise again throughout the nation by more than 50 cents in the last week, plaguing Democrats who were likely hoping those prices would not factor into the minds of voters before the midterm election.

According to AAA data, gas prices in California have increased 52 cents from last week to $6.412 per gallon. In Arizona, a battleground state with a high-profile midterm race, gas prices have jumped over 30 cents in one week. In the all-important swing state of Nevada, gas prices have gone up nearly 40 cents in the last seven days. And in Washington State, where Republicans could upset Democrats in the Senate race, gas prices have surged 30 cents since last Tuesday.

The rebounding pain at the pump is of great concern for Democrats’ hopes of retaining the Senate, because the Biden administration’s tools for “curbing” soaring prices are “limited,” the Washington Post admitted Tuesday. OPEC is expected to announce a big production cut on Wednesday.

Seemingly alarmed about the upward trend and his lack of ability to slow price increases, on Monday President Joe Biden blamed the oil companies for soaring energy costs while refusing to take responsibility for his war on American energy. “Bring down the prices you’re charging at the pump to reflect the cost you pay for the product,” he stated. “Do it now. Do it now. Not a month from now — do it now.”

Much of the nation’s energy crisis is due to Biden’s own policies, such as his campaign promise to reduce oil drilling. Into Biden’s second year in office, the Biden administration has succeeded in driving up private and public financing costs of oil drilling, halting drilling on public lands, and canceling the Keystone pipeline.

Biden’s policies will likely be more effective than his rhetoric just 35 days away from an election. The brief timeline to stunt soaring gas prices is even shorter when early and absentee voting is factored in throughout many states.

Democrats must mount a plausible defense to retain the Senate in multiple states where gas prices are surging. Democrats must either reclaim North Carolina, Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania or prevent Republicans from winning any of  five currently-held Democrat seats: Georgia, New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona, or Washington State.

Republicans seem to be gaining momentum five weeks away from election day. Inflation, which is fueled by the nation’s energy crises, is the number one issue among voters in poll after poll, and Americans believe Democrats are to blame. According to a recent Ipsos poll, 43 percent of Americans fear that inflation will continue to soar under Democrat rule if the party remains in power after the election. Only 24 percent say the same of Republicans.

Inflation is the number one issue for a reason. Surging costs have greatly impacted American workers’ wallets. Seventy-one percent of employees are poorer under the weight of Biden’s inflation, up from 58 percent in February, a Bank of America-sponsored survey shows in September.

A Heritage Foundation study shows Americans have lost $4,200 in annual income since Biden assumed office. Other experts project inflation will cost American families $5,520 in 2022.

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.