Quinnipiac poll finds most registered voters blame Trump for higher gas prices
The Facts
- A Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday found that 51 percent of registered voters blame President Trump "a lot" for rising gas prices.
- The same poll found that 14 percent of voters blame Trump "some" for rising gas prices.
- The poll found that 11 percent of voters blame Trump "not much" for rising gas prices, while 23 percent do not blame him at all.
- The national average price of gasoline is $4.04 per gallon.
- At the same time last year, the national average gas price was $3.17 per gallon.
- Both reports attribute the recent rise in gas prices in large part to disruptions in oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz.
Context
What did the poll find about who voters blame?
According to the Quinnipiac poll, 51 percent of registered voters said they blame Trump "a lot" for rising gas prices and 14 percent said "some," while 11 percent said "not much" and 23 percent said not at all Hill,matzav.com.
How high are gas prices right now compared with a year ago?
The national average gas price is $4.04 per gallon, compared with $3.17 per gallon at the same time last year Hill,matzav.com.
What reason do the reports give for the recent price spike?
The reports say the increase is due in large part to disruptions in oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping chokepoint Hill,matzav.com.
How left and right read it
With gas now averaging $4.04 a gallon, up from $3.17 a year ago, voters appear to be holding the president accountable for a price spike that is hitting household budgets directly. Quinnipiac found 51 percent blame President Trump a lot and another 14 percent some, even as the increase is tied in large part to disruptions in oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Quinnipiac numbers show real political damage from higher gas prices, but they also point to the limits of assigning full responsibility to any president. Gas averages $4.04 a gallon versus $3.17 a year ago, and both reports say the recent increase is linked in large part to disruptions in oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz, while 34 percent blame President Trump not much or not at all.
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