Republican Voter Discontent Over Fuel Prices, Presidential Policy Sits at Odds With Overall Economy

It’s not just the Democrats. Some Republican voters appear ready to punish President Trump at the polls next week over growing frustrations with gas prices and affordability issues despite a remarkably positive third-quarter growth report released days ahead of the November 3 election.Consumer spending grew at an annual rate of 3.8 percent in the third quarter according to government data released Thursday. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released figures showing that real gross domestic product growth in the third quarter rose to 3.4 percent, a more than 50 percent gain over the second quarter of 2026. Domestic business investment is carrying the load, rising 12.7 percent, a nearly 15-year high.On top of that, the labor market remains strong with unemployment rates at historically low levels. Fuel price monitoring site Gas Buddy says that national gas prices on Thursday averaged $4.20 a gallon — down $0.22 a gallon from last month. That number, however, is $1.17 a gallon higher than a year ago, and diesel prices, which mostly impact truckers and farmers, remain at near record high levels. The economy and cost of living are considered the most crucial issues for voters of all political stripes. An October AP/NORC poll found 85 percent of all voters, including 80 percent of Republicans, listing the economy as a top concern.The disconnect between statistics and lived reality is driving traditional cohorts within President Trump’s alliance to clap back. An organization that represents family farmers and ranchers is helping to fund attack ads against Republican candidates in competitive campaigns in several states. The American Meat Producers Association has spent about $2.5 million in ads opposing Congresswoman Ashley Hinson’s run for a Senate seat in Iowa.Hoping to inspire Republicans to go to the polls, Mr. Trump has told voters to pretend he is on the ballot. That could backfire, however, with his approval tanking in many states, even among GOP voters. Mr. Trump’s disapproval rating is now higher than his approval rating among rural voters for the first time this year. An October Reuters/Ipsos poll found with 52 percent of respondents disapproving of the job he is doing.Mr. Trump has admitted that fuel prices are higher but has repeatedly promised that they would be coming down “very rapidly,” particularly after the midterm election. But the cost of that decline may be unpalatable to many Americans. This month the president announced a deal with President Vladimir Putin to import Russian diesel even though the amount is so low that it is not expected to provide any long-term help. That is not sitting well among Americans who worry about what the United States is committing to Russia in return. Concern in Washington’s circles is also revolving around whether Mr. Trump is preparing to return to a highly unpopular war with Iran to loosen oil exports and lower prices.Adding to the anger is the surging profits oil companies are reporting as fuel prices remain elevated. Analysts expect oil companies to post net income gains between 84 and 158 percent for the last quarter, Reuters reported.While they didn’t specifically cite fuel prices or war, nearly half of Republican voters in the AP poll — 45 percent — said they want to see substantial change in how the country is run.The lack of enthusiasm is manifesting as low turnout by Republican voters in mail and early voting. Pollsters say they don’t see many MAGA Republicans shifting their votes to Democrats, but they might just skip voting. That is putting some normally safe Republican seats into play. Several political analysts are predicting Democrats will take control of the House and could also potentially flip the Senate.The hostility is forcing the president to travel to traditionally safe enclaves. Mr. Trump made two appearances in South Carolina in a month to try to rally support for Senator Darline Graham as she tries to win a full six-year term for the seat her brother Lindsey Graham held before dying unexpectedly in July. Voters in the state have not sent a Democrat to the Senate in nearly three decades but the seat is now considered to be vulnerable, in part because conservatives who dominate the voter rolls resent that Ms. Graham was shoved down their throats by the president during the primary against conservative Congressman Ralph Norman. South Carolina resident Brent Chaplin told the Associated Press he is a registered Republican, “but it’s hard to be that right now.”With Democratic-leaning voters indicating in polls that they are ready to vote, Republican leaners have been less likely to commit to voting. That is giving Republican incumbents in Democratic-heavy states cause for concern.All three of New Jersey’s Republican representatives are in competitive races. As of Thursday, voting statistics in the Garden State show early voting by Republicans trailing last year’s numbers while Democrats are running ahead of their 2025 early voting numbers in all 12 congressional districts. Congressman Henry Smith, who has served New Jersey’s fourth congressional district since 1981, said he has seen a sharp decline in early voting by Republicans. Putting on a brave face, Mr. Smith on Thursday told a reporter that he is not worried and predicted a surge in turnout on Election Day. “I think things are going to be okay,” he said.In deep-red Utah, the Republican party size itself is shrinking while a growing number of voters are choosing to register as unaffiliated. “It’s certainly not a good statistic for Republicans given that they kind of dominate voter registration in the state,” Brigham Young University political scientist Michael Barber told KUER public radio. “I think that it’s not surprising given the electoral environment,” he added.

Republican Voter Discontent Over Fuel Prices, Presidential Policy Sits at Odds With Overall Economy

Republican Voter Discontent Over Fuel Prices, Presidential Policy Sits at Odds With Overall Economy

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