Republicans Attack Democrats on Rising Gas Prices

Don Resuerco holds a gas pump before pumping gas into his work van March 27, 2006 in San F
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jacob Bliss

Republicans have started to hold Democrats accountable for the record-breaking rise in gas prices across the country.

The rise of gasoline and oil prices is being used to pressure Democrats, going into the midterm elections, who are looking to use economic recovery as part of their messaging while they try to keep their very slim majority in both the House and Senate.

Republican groups look to the ongoing rise in gasoline prices and inflation crisis as part of selling what the Democrats are doing with their radical wish list of policies. Inflation has been on the rise since the economy started to rebound. The Washington Post reported voters in “Trump country” are blaming Democrats’ socialist stimulus for a range of economic ills.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) released 11 ads to target vulnerable House members on gas prices. Part of the ad emphasized, “Fourth of July is more expensive because Democrats’ harmful economic policies are making everyday goods cost more.”

“Americans are being forced to pay more to celebrate the Fourth of July this year because Democrats’ wasteful spending has caused inflation to skyrocket,” NRCC Chairman Tom Emmer (R-MN) said in a statement at the release of the ads. “Voters will hold Democrats accountable for making everyday goods and services more expensive.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) hammered Democrats on the rising prices earlier in the week. “Rather than bragging about saving you just 16 cents at your barbecue, President Biden should recognize that his socialist policies are driving up costs for millions of Americans families,” he said. 

He continued:

Americans are paying more in Biden’s America. The cost of gasoline has surged to the highest price since 2014, a time when Biden was last serving in office. President Biden’s disastrous energy policies have decimated American energy independence and increased costs for the American people.

The current average price of gas as of Thursday is $3.141 per gallon, the Hill reported. The report noted gas has not been that high, and on the rise since 2008. The national average is up roughly 40 percent since the beginning of the year. Gas prices could increase by 10 to 20 cents more by the end of August, the American Automobile Association (AAA) has warned.

The CEO and President of Job Creators Network, Alfredo Ortiz, who has compared inflation to a “tax on the middle class,” recently said, “When Joe Biden looks in the mirror, he has to see Jimmy Carter, because Biden is Jimmy Carter 2.0. With Biden spending trillions of dollars and planning to spend trillions more, all of our inflationary fears are coming true.”

Due to constant pressure from Republicans on the rising prices, the White House tried to divert blame, saying during a press conference earlier in the week there is a “misunderstanding.”

Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said earlier in the week she thinks there is “sometimes is a misunderstanding of what causes gas prices to increase and so, to convey to the American people that we’re working on it and certainly the supply availability of oil has a huge impact.”

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Wednesday retweeted a clip from RNC Research of Psaki being confronted by CNN about the seven-year high gas prices. 

“As the White House deflects blame, Americans are facing gas prices at a seven-year high under Biden,” McDaniel said:

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