Record-high diesel prices are prompting Republican Senate candidates in several Trump-supporting states to challenge the administration's handling of the Iran war, as fuel costs become an issue in November's midterms.
"The war with Iran needs to end, and quickly," Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers said in an advertisement last week, arguing that higher diesel costs are feeding through to prices for food and other goods, according to The Washington Post.
In Iowa, another Republican Senate nominee, Rep. Ashley Hinson, who previously voted four times against a resolution to end the war, has called for a temporary ban on U.S. diesel exports. "Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn't have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran," she wrote on social media.
Other Republicans have joined calls to restrict exports, including Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan, who is seeking reelection, as The Washington Post reports. Sullivan said "American fuel should stay home with Americans" until the Iran conflict ends and energy exports can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz.
The proposals come as agricultural regions face particular pressure. Diesel powers tractors, combines and trucks during the fall harvest, and the Iowa Corn Growers Association said prices above $6 a gallon were increasing financial strain on farmers.
An export ban, however, could have consequences beyond the United States. Brazil, the largest foreign buyer of U.S. diesel in September, could face supply disruptions if Washington restricts exports. Energy analysts have also warned that an export ban could leave fuel stranded on the U.S. Gulf Coast while raising prices in regions dependent on imports.
Pressure on fuel markets intensified this week after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Brent crude rose more than 3% to above $107 a barrel following the decision, Al Jazeera reported Sunday.
Trump has defended the costs associated with the conflict, recently describing higher gasoline prices as a "very inexpensive price to pay for what we've done."
