Texas gas prices shape voter mood in Senate race

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Texas gas prices Senate race

Highlights

Average gasoline prices in Texas have jumped from $2.59 to $3.68 a gallon over the past year, according to AAA.
Polls cited in The Guardian show Democratic candidate James Talarico holding a slight edge over Ken Paxton as fuel inflation intensifies budget concerns.
Texas-based Exxon and Chevron are benefiting from higher gasoline prices, highlighted by Donald Trump at rallies as energy costs rise due to the war in Iran.

Fuel costs sharpen election concerns

As reported by The Guardian, drivers and retail workers in Texas say higher gasoline prices are forcing them to buy smaller amounts of fuel, cut back on travel and rethink household budgets as the midterm campaign enters its final stretch.

At Fuel City in Dallas, cashier Alina Cardenas says customers are increasingly stopping at $10 or $20 worth of gasoline instead of filling a full tank. Cardenas, who studies radiology at a local college, says she is also driving less and limiting trips to work and school because costs have become harder to absorb this year.

The issue carries particular weight in Texas, where residents often depend on cars for work and daily life across long distances. James Talarico is seeking to become the state’s first Democratic senator in more than 30 years by defeating former state attorney general Ken Paxton, while recent polling cited in the report gives Talarico a slight edge.

Donald Trump appeared in Corpus Christi and later at a rally in Lubbock to highlight the arrival of the first million barrels of oil under his Venezuela deal. He also tells supporters in Georgia that higher gasoline prices are generating major gains for American energy companies, including Texas-based Exxon and Chevron.

Pressure on budgets and regional impact

Texas often benefits from lower pump prices than the U.S. average because it is a leading oil-producing state, but the report says the state is still feeling the effect of higher energy costs linked to the war in Iran. According to AAA figures cited in the report, average gasoline prices in Texas are now $3.68 a gallon, up from $2.59 a year earlier, while diesel has risen from $3.18 to $5.79.

Tom Seng, a professor of energy finances at Texas Christian University, says gasoline prices stand out more than many other household expenses because voters see them directly on the way to work and at the pump before heading to the polls. That visibility is amplifying the political effect of fuel inflation even when Texans are still paying less than the national average.

Some commuters say the impact is substantial. One Dallas-area data analyst says he now spends about $400 a month on gasoline, roughly double last year’s level, while a warehouse worker says fuel absorbs about 20% of her take-home pay and shapes how she plans each week’s travel. Several voters interviewed say the pressure is pushing them toward Talarico or making them question earlier support for Trump, although not all plan to vote.

We previously reported on the conflict-driven surge in oil shipping costs that has become a major new component of global fuel pricing. That earlier coverage explained how higher tanker rates and risk premiums on key routes can translate into noticeably higher gasoline costs and ripple through broader consumer prices.

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