Swing voters weigh high gas prices ahead of midterm elections
The Story
NPR’s Swing Shift project, tracking swing voters from swing states, found that rising gas prices are influencing their political views and daily lives ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Participants reported prices ranging from $3.67 to $5.50 per gallon, with many expressing frustration and adjusting their spending. A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll indicated that more than 60 percent of respondents blame President Trump for the increase.
Key Facts
- Gas prices are well over a dollar more per gallon than the same time last year, though they have fallen slightly in recent days.
- Swing Shift participants include voters who have voted for both parties and are not using their full names.
- Colleen in Pennsylvania paid $4.37 per gallon; she voted for Harris in 2024 and Trump in 2020.
- John in Philadelphia pays about $4.25 per gallon, a jump from a couple months ago; he tends to vote Republican and supported Trump in 2024.
- Lee in Nevada pays $5.50 per gallon, blames Democrats, and voted for Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024.
- Lee stated about Trump: “technically he’s the one who started the [Iran] war, so ultimately you could blame him, but this war is needed.”
- A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found more than 60 percent of respondents blame President Trump for the current gas price increase.
- Lee said gas prices were higher four years ago under Biden, when the national average peaked above $5 per gallon; he blamed Biden’s green energy commitments.
- Jason in North Carolina paid $3.67 per gallon in early May; he recalled the Russia-Ukraine war as a reason for past price spikes and said “I don’t feel all that bad about it.”
- Michelle in Michigan paid $4.96 per gallon; she swung to Trump in 2024 and lives on a fixed income.
- Theresa from outside Pittsburgh paid $4.69 for “the cheap gas”; she voted for Trump in 2024 and said this will affect her vote in November.
- Gas prices spiked in the Midwest earlier in May due to regional refinery problems and high global oil prices.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified across sources.
Still Unclear
- Single-source claim: Some voters, like John, expressed that high gas prices lead to higher grocery and other prices (NPR).
- Single-source claim: Colleen said political leaders are not showing enough concern about the impact of high gas prices (NPR).
- Single-source claim: Theresa uses apps to find discounts on gas (NPR).
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the sources.
Key Figures
President Trump, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Joe Biden, Colleen (voter, Pennsylvania), John (voter, Philadelphia), Lee (voter, Nevada), Jason (voter, North Carolina), Michelle (voter, Michigan), Theresa (voter, outside Pittsburgh).
