Diesel Price Surge Sparks Concern in Red States Ahead of Midterms

Diesel prices have been on the rise in the US, and this trend may have significant implications for voters in red states ahead of the midterm elections. According to recent data, diesel fuel inventories are nearly 10% below year-ago levels, while commercial crude oil inventories in the US are about average for this time of year.

The White House has pushed back on the idea that administration policies have worsened the truck driver shortage and pointed to the 'Freedom Hauler' program, which aims to get more veterans behind the steering wheels of big rigs. However, critics argue that Democrats are failing to capitalize on this issue by focusing too much on talking about 'oligarchs and billionaires' instead of pocketbook issues.

Nicholas Jacobs, a professor at Colby College in Maine, notes that diesel prices present an opportunity for Democrats in red states, but they need to show voters an alternative. The confluence of inflationary factors highlights the mutation of the Iran war energy crisis from a shortage of crude oil to a bottleneck in companies' capacity to process enough of it.