EXCLUSIVE — High gas prices are causing more than half of voters to consider not supporting Republicans, new polling shows, in a warning sign that the Iran war’s consequences could hamper the GOP’s efforts to keep control of the House and Senate.
Results from a recent Overton Insights survey, shared exclusively with the Washington Examiner, showed 57% of respondents said that due to high gas prices, they were less likely to support the Republican Party.
Just 12% said they were more likely to support the GOP, and 31% said high gas prices made no difference.
More worrying for the GOP is that 64% of independent voters said higher gas prices made them less likely to support the Republican Party, while 36% said it made no difference.
The poll found that high gas prices are even affecting support among registered Republicans. According to the survey, 23% of self-identified Republicans said they were less likely to support their party over higher gas prices, while 83% of Democrats said the same.
Memorial Day gas prices reached a four-year high at $4.56, according to AAA. The holiday weekend is usually seen as the start of the summer travel season. As of Tuesday, the national average is at $4.49, AAA reports.
Since the Iran war began on Feb. 28, Tehran has seized control of the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil and gas prices. The Trump administration will gather on Wednesday at the White House to discuss the war and a potential peace deal to end the conflict. The president suggested a deal could be imminent over the weekend, but recent “self-defense strikes” by the United States in southern Iran could derail that timeline.
But it’s unclear how quickly gas prices would come down if the war ends and the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
More than half of survey respondents, 66%, said gas prices have affected their regular spending habits, with 47% saying they had significantly affected their habits and 19% saying they had a moderate impact.
Another 17% said gas prices had affected their spending habits a little, and 14% said gas prices had not affected their spending habits at all.
Independents at 63% were more likely than Democrats (54%) and Republicans (30%) to say that gas prices had a significant impact on their spending.
Affordability is one of the top issues that both parties are campaigning on ahead of the November midterm elections. The GOP’s ability to retain control of Congress will depend on whether voters believe they are best able to alleviate pocketbook issues.
WHY DOESN’T TRUMP JUST FINISH THE JOB IN IRAN?
Results from the survey are in line with other polls that show voters blaming Trump for rising gas prices. A PBS News/NPR/Marist poll released earlier this month showed 63% of Americans now blame the president for high gas prices.
The Overton Insights survey polled 1,377 registered voters, of whom 480 were Republican primary voters, 593 were Democratic primary voters, and 304 were independents. The survey was conducted from May 16 to May 20 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6%.