THE $54-A-MONTH SQUEEZE: ENERGY BILLS BITE SWING-STATE VOTERS BEFORE TUESDAY

Across Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Ohio, combined household spending on power and motor fuel rose between 13% and 17% in the first seven months of 2026 from a year earlier, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The average American household spent about $456 a month on electricity and gasoline combined in that period, roughly $54 a month more than a year ago, an increase of around 14%, with monthly rises ranging from $42 in Wisconsin to $62 in Arizona.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 78% of Americans blame President Donald Trump's policies for rising prices outpacing their earnings, with tariffs and the Iran war bearing the brunt of the blame.

Energy costs have become one of the sharpest attack lines of the midterm campaign's final weekend, with both parties blaming each other for the squeeze.

The issue cuts across the battleground map, hitting every state rated most likely to decide control of Congress.