Gas Prices Hit Record Midterm-Year Increase as 2026 Elections Approach

US gasoline prices have risen at a rate unmatched in any midterm election year this century, according to CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten, as elevated oil prices add to economic pressures ahead of the November elections.

US gasoline prices have climbed sharply in 2026, adding to concerns about household costs ahead of the November midterm elections.

Enten said on CNN that gasoline prices had risen 52% from Jan. 1 to Sept. 14, compared with an average increase of 18% during midterm election years this century. The previous high was 27%, according to his analysis.

The increase has also continued after the period when gasoline prices typically decline.

Enten said gasoline prices fell between Aug. 14 and Sept. 14 in every other midterm election year this century, whereas prices rose 6% during the same period in 2026.

AAA data cited in the report put average US gasoline at about $4.32 a gallon, while diesel reached a record $6.23 a gallon. Brent crude traded near $109 a barrel on Monday.

The price increases are occurring amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and disruptions involving the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for global oil shipments.

Enten has argued that the unusually large increase in fuel prices could create difficulties for the party controlling the White House and Congress.

However, the original headline’s assertion that high oil prices will “doom” Trump or the Republican Party goes beyond what the data establish. Fuel prices can affect voters’ economic perceptions, but their ultimate effect on election results cannot be determined from the cited data alone.