Flashing warning sign for Trump as voters blame him 'a lot' for soaring gas prices

U.S. President Donald Trump at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., April 17, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci

With the 2026 midterms roughly six and one-half months away, many GOP strategists are worried about President Donald Trump's weak approval ratings in countless polls and all the victories Democrats have recently enjoyed in special elections. Republicans entered 2026 feeling nervous the U.S. House of Representatives but confident that they will hold the U.S. in November; now, more GOP insiders fear that the U.S. Senate is in play for Democrats as well.

In an article published by the UK-based Independent on April 20, journalist Ariana Baio explains why a recent Quinnipiac poll is especially bad news for Republicans in the midterms.

"More than half of registered voters surveyed by Quinnipiac University said they blame President Donald Trump 'a lot' for gas prices rising recently," Baio explains. "In a poll of 1028 registered voters, approximately 51 percent of respondents said the president is mostly to blame, while 14 percent said they blame Trump 'some' for fluctuating gas prices largely been attributed to oil production disruptions from the Iran war. Earlier this month, the national average for a gallon of regular gas exceeded $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022, according to AAA. While Trump has assured Americans prices will only go up temporarily, Energy Secretary Chris Wright seemed uncertain that prices could fall under $3 anytime soon."

Baio notes that in the Quinnipiac poll, Trump gets a lot more blame from Democrats than from Republicans — while most independent voters say they blame Trump "a lot" or "some" for rising gas prices.

"Regardless of how voters feel now," Biao observes, "it's clear the cost of gas is a concern at the top of mind for many Americans heading into the 2026 midterm elections. In a March Pew Research Center survey of 3000 adults, 69 percent of respondents said they were 'extremely' or 'very' concerned the Iran war would cause higher oil and gas prices. Should gas prices remain relatively high through the summer and heading into the fall, voters who cast their ballot for Trump in 2024 could abandon the Republican's platform in the midterms."

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