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WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans are confronting rising political and economic pressure as the 2026 midterm elections approach, with inflation and fuel costs eroding the party’s core promise to tame prices. U.S. year-over-year inflation reached 3.8% in April 2026, the highest level since 2023, driven largely by elevated energy prices tied to the war with Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since late February. The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline stood near $4.30 in May, far above Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign pledge to push gas below $2 within a year of taking office. In key battlegrounds such as Michigan and Ohio, prices spiked by more than 60 cents in a single week in late April, intensifying voter frustration in competitive Senate and House races. WASHINGTON — Surveys show that deteriorating economic sentiment is now cutting into Republican support and undermining Trump’s advantage on inflation and energy. A University of Michigan consumer sentiment report released on May 23 found overall sentiment at a record low and showed long-run inflation expectations among Republican respondents more than doubling from their February 2025 reading. A CBS News/YouGov poll reported that 37% of Republicans disapproved of Trump’s handling of rising prices, up 11 points since March, while a CNN poll found only 21% of Americans approved of his management of inflation and 26% approved of his handling of gas prices. As the White House advances high-profile spending plans, including a proposed $400 million ballroom and a $1.8 billion legal relief fund, internal GOP criticism has surfaced, and polling now shows Democrats more trusted on the cost of living, helping the middle class, and managing inflation with roughly five months remaining before the November vote.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.