San Antonio voters weigh rising fuel costs ahead of midterms

President Donald Trump faces a challenging path to reelect Republicans to Congress as voters in Bexar County grapple with rising costs for basic goods. With one week until the midterms, the gap between the president’s optimistic rhetoric and the economic reality at the gas pump is widening. The election serves as a referendum on his second term, and many local residents say the price of living has become too high to ignore.

The cost to fill a basic Ford F-150 pickup truck has reached approximately $100. That figure is $30 higher than the cost one year ago. Mortgage rates have also climbed to levels that have depressed home sales. Over the past 12 months, consumer prices have risen faster than wages. This trend has reduced the purchasing power of the average family in the region. Record high diesel prices have further increased transportation and agricultural expenses, creating pressure on conservative states like Texas.

Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, described the situation as a double blow. She noted that while people talk first about the high cost of goods, their salaries are not keeping up with those costs. Stephen Moore, a former economic advisor to the president, acknowledged that the war with Iran has had a major effect on the economy. He said the rising prices are frustrating because the president has made other positive moves for the economy. However, he warned that Republicans could pay a high price for the situation in Iran.

Local voters are expressing their dissatisfaction at the polls and in their homes. In Easley, South Carolina, Misty Reeder, 48, who receives disability payments, marked every Democrat on her ballot. She said things have become much more difficult to afford. Her rent has increased by hundreds of dollars in the six years she and her husband have lived in their home. She described the financial pressure as a dam that is about to break. In Round Rock, Texas, Amy Richards, 56, stood outside a voting center on Friday. She said the president believes the economy is good only because he and his family have grown wealthy by billions of dollars.

Trump has minimized the intensity of inflation, claiming it is below 2% and under control. However, the rate was 3% when he took office and reached 3.7% last month. During his 2024 campaign, he promised to end inflation and lower gasoline prices. He attacked then-President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the high inflation rate that peaked at 9.1% in June 2022. The president has since imposed two-digit tariffs on many trading partners and launched a war with Iran. He also enacted broad income tax cuts and took equity stakes in several private companies.

Democrats are using the high cost of living to attack vulnerable Republican incumbents. Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia told a crowd in Atlanta that it costs more than ever to fill a truck or a refrigerator. He said voters are working harder on a treadmill that is getting faster and steeper. In New York, Democrat Cait Conley is challenging Representative Mike Lawler. She urged voters to fill their tanks and shop for groceries, then decide if the system is working for them. In North Carolina, Roy Cooper ran an ad stating that Washington politicians are getting rich while voters suffer. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed claimed the war costs taxpayers $1 billion per day.

Republicans are attempting to frame Democrats as extremists. They point to a growing populist wing that includes several Democratic socialists. Moore said he would like Republicans to talk more about economic strengths, such as rising median incomes and record stock market levels. He admitted, however, that those figures may not resonate with voters who feel financially stressed. In Round Rock, Renee Blood, 57, said the economy has improved quite a bit. She plans to vote Republican because she fears things will worsen if Democrats return to power. She said the golden age may not have arrived yet, but it is still being worked on.