With 100 Days Until Midterms, Energy Costs Are A Political Liability For Republicans

Washington, DC – With Sunday marking 100 days until the midterm elections, the growing energy affordability crisis is a top issue for voters and a political liability for Republicans. Trump’s policies, rubber-stamped by Republicans in Congress, have raised costs on American families by at least $2,000 since Trump took office, from groceries to gas prices to utility bills. In fact, as the New York Times noted today, “While Mr. Trump campaigned on a pledge to cut power prices in half, average U.S. residential electricity rates have risen nearly 18 percent since he returned to office, according to the most recent available data from the federal government.” This week, gas prices surpassed $4 per gallon nationally again this year, and oil prices topped $100 a barrel for the first time in two months, because of Trump’s war of choice in Iran. Instead of expanding homegrown energy options to lower costs, Trump and his congressional Republican allies took a sledgehammer to cheaper, faster-to-build clean energy projects — taking energy off the grid at a time when demand is higher than ever. 

Climate Power Communications Director Alex Glass issued the following statement: “Energy costs are crushing American families — and Republicans own the blame. They rubber-stamped Trump’s policies. Now families are paying more for gas, groceries, and utility bills, while Trump’s billionaire donors get richer. This November, Republicans will answer for it.” 

Energy costs are a top issue for Americans and a political liability for Republicans: 

• A recent report from Climate Power and the Center for American Progress Action Fund found that the average American family is spending $2,000 more on gas, groceries, and other essential goods.
• According to new Navigator Research polling, half of constituents in battleground states say that Republican policies have made life less affordable.
• That same poll found that grocery prices, utilities, and gas prices are the top three rising costs that Americans are feeling the most. 

• Oil and gas companies raked in more than $40 billion in profits in Q1 of 2026. Meanwhile, since the start of Trump’s war in Iran, Americans have paid more than $73 billion more at the pump.
• Gallup polling found that two-thirds of Americans say the cost of fuel has caused financial hardship for their household. 

• Trump and congressional Republicans created a self-inflicted energy crisis with their attacks on affordable, American-made clean energy — canceling or stalling nearly 400 clean energy projects, which would have generated enough energy to power more than 20 million homes.