CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten reacted with surprise to a claim made by Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) that voters in Alabama are willing to pay more for gas to support former President Donald Trump.
During an interview on CNN, Tuberville, who is the GOP nominee for Alabama governor, was asked by reporter Manu Raju about the impact of high gas prices on his constituents. Gas prices had reached a national average of $4.48 per gallon. Tuberville responded, "People will deal with that." When pressed on whether his constituents would pay higher prices to support Trump, Tuberville stated, "Yeah, sure they are."
Enten expressed his astonishment, stating, "Wha-wha-what the heck did I just hear?!" He pointed to polling data suggesting this sentiment is not widespread. "The president of the United States, his approval rating on gas prices is like 20%," Enten said. "And I don’t just mean ‘like 20%’ — it is 20%. He has the highest disapproval rating of all time of any president on gas prices." Enten added that when Americans are asked if a conflict is worth the cost, they repeatedly say no, and that Tuberville's statement is "not supported by the polling data."
Diesel fuel also hit a record high of approximately $6.50 per gallon on Monday. A Marquette University Law School survey conducted in early September indicated that only 20% of U.S. adults approved of Trump's handling of gas prices. The article notes that gas prices have "skyrocketed" since Trump initiated military action in Iran, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for oil transport. This situation exacerbates affordability concerns, which Enten identified as a top issue for the upcoming midterm elections.