Updated November 3, 2026, 10:31 a.m. ET
- Gas prices are a top concern for voters as the midterm elections approach.
- President Trump is facing record-high gas prices for an Election Day compared to his predecessors.
- A recent poll shows that 76% of registered American voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of gas prices.
Gas prices have always been a powerful motivator for voters, and this year appears to be no exception.
President Donald Trump is leading his party into the midterm elections with gas prices far higher than any of his predecessors, according to a study of average gas price data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The average gas price in the United States on Tuesday, November 3, was $4.14, according to AAA. That’s higher than the average for the first week of November in any election year dating back to 1994, according to EIA data.
“New record on Election Day: Highest ever national average for gasoline and diesel prices on Election Day,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a November 3 X article. “$4.12/gal for gasoline, $6.28/gal for diesel.”
Voters have consistently said in polls that U.S. gas prices are a priority when voting. Trump has promised at several campaign rallies that prices would come down soon, even though the national average price of AAA gas has been above $4 a gallon since April.
“By the way, when this war (in Iran) ends, you’ll see the gasoline go down,” Trump said at a Nov. 1 campaign rally in Iowa, where polls show Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson in a much tighter race against Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek than political observers initially expected.
The USA TODAY Cars team looked at how polls show gas prices affect Trump’s approval rating and what Americans were paying at the pump on previous election days.
How have gas prices affected Trump’s popularity?
About 76% of registered U.S. voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of gas prices, while 20% approve, according to an Oct. 8 poll from Navigator Research.
The poll also shows that 73% of registered voters heading into the November election disapprove of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living, while 23% approve. In the poll, 62% of registered voters said they disapprove of how Trump is handling his job as president, while 36% approve.
“President Trump’s approval ratings have reached historic lows in Navigator tracking,” the group said. “Majorities disapprove of Trump’s handling of gas prices, inflation and the cost of living, as well as foreign policy.”
De Haan said in a Nov. 2 blog post that gas prices had fallen slightly ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3, but remained largely dependent on developments in the U.S.-Iran war.
“Average gasoline prices fell in nearly all states over the past week, while diesel prices fell in most, as refinery maintenance ends and seasonal demand continues to fade with the arrival of cooler weather,” De Haan wrote.
“Whether there will be further attacks or a truce around the Strait of Hormuz, as well as continued Ukrainian strikes against Russian refineries, will likely determine the direction prices take as the holidays approach,” he added.
How much did Americans pay for gasoline on previous election days?
Americans paid an average of $3.40 per gallon for gasoline, adjusted for current inflation levels, on election days dating back to 1994, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI calculator.
Here are the inflation-adjusted averages for the first week of November for all election years going back 30 years:
- November 1994: $2.46
- November 1996: $2.62
- November 1998: $2.10
- November 2000: $2.95
- November 2002: $2.68
- November 2004: $3.57
- November 2006: $3.62
- November 2008: $3.72
- November 2010: $4.20
- November 2012: $5.01
- November 2014: $4.23
- November 2016: $3.18
- November 2018: $3.69
- November 2020: $2.77
- November 2022: $4.34
- November 2024: $3.32
- November 2026: $4.14
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on USA TODAY’s National Trending Desk. Contact Keith at klaing@usatodayco.com.
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