November 4, 2026, 5:50 p.m. ET
For many voters, dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress’s handling of the cost of living and gasoline prices in the United States fueled a historic night for Democrats in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
This deep dissatisfaction with gasoline prices, in particular, has contributed to Trump’s unpopularity, with his net approval rating down nearly 20 percentage points since the start of the year.
On Election Day, the average price of gas in the United States was $4.14, according to AAA. That number was higher than the average for the first week of November in all election years since 1994, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
“New record on Election Day: Highest ever national average for gasoline and diesel prices on Election Day,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in an Election Day X-post.
According to an Oct. 8 poll by Navigator Research, 76 percent of registered U.S. voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of gasoline prices, while only 20 percent approved. The poll also showed that 73% of registered voters disapproved of Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living, while only 23% approved.
“President Trump’s approval ratings have reached unprecedented levels in Navigator tracking,” the survey institute said. “Majorities disapprove of Trump’s handling of gas prices, inflation and the cost of living, as well as foreign policy.”
One goes up, the other goes down
In a USA TODAY analysis of EIA monthly average gas prices and Reuters/Ipsos net approval ratings, Trump’s continued slide in the polls coincides with rising fuel prices.
Trump recognizes Iran’s role
Gas prices began to rise shortly after the start of the war with Iran in late February. Today, more than eight months after the start of the conflict, Trump recognizes the role of the war in the Republicans’ bad night.
“I think that’s largely true because it did raise the price of gasoline a little bit in the short term,” Trump said of the war on Nov. 4, with Vice President JD Vance echoing a similar sentiment after the Republican Party’s losses.
“At the same time, if I had to do it again, I would have to do it again because in the long run, that’s the only answer,” Trump continued. “You can’t let Iran have nuclear weapons.”
USA TODAY’s Francesca Chambers and Keith Laing contributed to this report.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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