扎克·欧文（Zac Owen）是一名31岁的品牌策略师，同时也是一位高中橄榄球教练，他所在的密歇根州是竞争激烈的摇摆州。他表示，在该州内开车两到四个小时才能到达其他地方是很正常的。随着美国即将迎来国会中期选举，这些长途通勤的费用已成为欧文和其他选民最关心的问题之一。“油价，天哪，这里的人们对油价问题非常不满，我可以肯定地告诉你这一点。”欧文说。
Zac Owen, a 31-year-old brand strategist and high school football coach in the hotly contested swing state of Michigan, said that it's normal to drive two to four hours to get somewhere else in the state. The cost of those long commutes is top of mind for Owen and other voters as the country heads into the midterm congressional elections. "Gas prices, oh boy. People are up in arms about gas prices over here. I'll tell you that," Owen said.
他表示，如果候选人能提供更多关于油价的信息，将有助于他做出投票决定。距离选举仅剩约一个月，候选人纷纷宣传自己降低成本的计划。然而，伊朗战争以及电力和住房等商品价格的上涨，使 affordability（负担能力）问题持续处于焦点位置。路透社/Ipsos 8月的一项民意调查显示，47%的联邦选民表示，如果选举今天举行，生活成本将是他们选择候选人时最重要的因素。
Hearing more about gas pricing from candidates, he said, would help sway his decision. The elections are in about a month, and candidates have touted their plans to bring costs down. But a war in Iran and rising prices for things like electricity and housing threaten to keep the affordability issue front-and-center. A Reuters/Ipsos poll from August found that 47% ofed voters said the cost of living would be the most important factor in choosing a candidate if the elections were held today.
8月份消费者价格指数增长率为3.4%，持续不断的伊朗战争及其对石油市场的冲击进一步加剧了这一趋势。关税也带来了额外的上涨压力。这使得通货膨胀率高于美联储2%的目标，尽管已低于疫情后的峰值。9月，美联储自2023年以来首次加息，试图抑制不断上涨的价格，今年年内可能还会进一步加息。根据《库克政治报告》（The Cook Political Report）的政治分析，阿拉斯加、艾奥瓦、缅因、密歇根、新罕布什尔、俄亥俄和德克萨斯州的参议院选举均处于胶着状态。
Consumer price growth came in at 3.4% in August, exacerbated by the ongoing Iran war and its disruptions to the oil market. Tariffs have also added upward pressure. That puts inflation above the Fed's 2% target, although it's down from its post-pandemic highs. The Fed raised interest rates for the first time since 2023 in September to try to dampen rising prices, and more hikes could happen before the year is over. Senate races in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas are all toss-ups, according to the political handicappers at The Cook Political Report.
《商业内幕》（Business Insider）考察了这些州在唐纳德·特朗普总统第二个任期内物价的变化情况，以及关键选举中的候选人如何谈论 affordability 问题。由于平均油价高于一年前，美国民众为加满油箱需要支付更多费用。
Business Insider took a look at how prices have fared during President Donald Trump's second term in those states, along with how candidates in key elections have been talking about affordability. Americans are shelling out more to fill their gas tanks, as average prices are up from a year ago.
AAA 在 9 月份表示：“通常，秋季开始会伴随油价下跌，但霍尔木兹海峡持续的动荡以及原油的高成本正在推高加油站的售价。”GasBuddy 收集了各加油站的价格报告，数据显示，从 2025 年 1 月到 2026 年 9 月底，全国油价已上涨约 46%。七个摇摆州中的大多数也出现了类似涨幅，其中三个州的油价涨幅至少达到 50%。
"Typically, the start of autumn brings lower gas prices, but lingering volatility in the Strait of Hormuz and the high cost of crude oil are driving up pump prices," AAA said in September. Data from GasBuddy, which collects price reports from gas stations, showed prices have increased about 46% nationally from January 2025 to roughly the end of September 2026. Most of the seven swing states saw similar surges, with three of them increasing by at least 50%.
GasBuddy 的石油分析主管帕特里克·德·哈恩表示，“政客们现在正拼命采取各种绝望的措施来降低油价”，例如暂停征收燃油税。但他同时指出，由于地缘政治紧张局势仍是油价的主要负担，这种缓解效果十分有限。阿拉斯加州共和党参议员丹·沙利文正与民主党候选人玛丽·佩尔托拉展开激烈的连任角逐，他已提议禁止柴油出口，以试图降低油价。
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said that "politicians are now feverishly trying desperate attempts to reduce prices," such as through gas tax suspensions. He said, however, that relief is limited as geopolitical tensions remain a key burden on gas prices. Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, who is in a tight race for reelection against Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, has pushed for a ban on diesel exports in an effort to lower prices.
佩尔托拉则公开批评了该州的油价，并贴出了一张每加仑 24.49 美元的收据，称她的对手曾投票“支持这场让一切变得昂贵的战争”。密歇根州民主党参议员候选人阿卜杜勒·埃尔-赛义德表示，他的竞选核心议题是降低燃油和食品价格。他在一份声明中说：“密歇根州民众现在每加仑汽油要支付高达 5 美元，柴油更是每加仑 6.79 美元——这推高了食品和其他所有商品的价格。”
Peltolta has called out gas prices in the state, posting a receipt for a $24.49 gallon, and saying that her opponent has voted "for the war that's making everything more expensive." Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has said his campaign is about gas and grocery affordability. "Michiganders are now paying a staggering $5 a gallon for gas and $6.79 a gallon for diesel—raising prices for groceries and everything else," he said in a statement.
他的对手、共和党人迈克·罗杰斯则呼吁暂停州和联邦层面的燃油税，并对柴油出口实施临时禁运。从 2025 年 1 月到 2026 年 7 月，大多数摇摆州的电价上涨速度超过了全国平均水平。缅因州的电价位居全国最高水平之一，涨幅达到 24%，而全国平均涨幅约为 15%。美国民众对数据中心热潮将如何影响他们的电费账单感到担忧。
His opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, has called for a suspension of state and federal gas taxes, and for a temporary embargo on diesel exports. Electricity prices in most swing states have risen faster than the national average from January 2025 to July 2026. Maine has one of the highest rates in the country and saw a 24% increase, compared to the national increase of about 15%. Americans are worried about what the data center boom means for their electricity charges.
《消费者报告》11月的一项调查显示，超过四分之三的美国人至少有些担心，他们的能源账单会因此上涨。“高昂的能源成本给缅因州的家庭、卡车司机、农民、渔民、学校、小企业、工厂和制造厂带来了沉重负担，”缅因州共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯的网站上写道。她的对手特洛伊·杰克逊则因在领导州议会期间导致能源成本上涨而受到批评；杰克逊的竞选团队向当地新闻机构WABI发表声明称，他“有努力降低能源成本的记录，并将始终为缅因州民众发声”。
A Consumer Reports survey from November found more than three-quarters of Americans were at least somewhat worried their energy bills would rise because of this. "High costs of energy are burdensome to Maine families, truck drivers, farmers, fishermen, schools, small businesses, mills, and factories," said Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins' site. Her opponent, Troy Jackson, has been criticized for increases in energy costs during his time leading the state legislature; in a statement to the local news outlet WABI, Jackson's campaign said that he "has a record of working to lower energy costs and will always stand up for Mainers."
在得克萨斯州，民主党参议员候选人詹姆斯·塔拉里科希望“确保数据中心等大型能源用户为所需的基础设施改善提供资金，而不是将这些成本转嫁给消费者”；而共和党候选人肯·帕克斯顿则表示，他支持数据中心回收用水并自行生产能源，以减轻消费者可能面临的费用负担。从2025年1月到2026年8月，大多数摇摆州的房价上涨速度也快于全国平均水平。
In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico wants to "guarantee large energy users like data centers fund the infrastructure improvements they need rather than passing those costs on to consumers," while Republican candidate Ken Paxton has said that he supports data centers recycling water and producing their own energy to fend off potential costs for consumers. Housing prices have also surged faster than the national average in most swing states from January 2025 to August 2026.
密歇根州的中位数住宅售价上涨了23%，高于全国6%的平均涨幅，也高于其他摇摆州。Redfin首席经济学家达里尔·费尔韦瑟表示，目前没有任何迹象表明房地产市场会很快好转。“实际上，近几周由于债券市场动荡和抵押贷款利率上升，情况甚至略有恶化，”费尔韦瑟说。在密歇根州与埃尔-赛义德竞争的共和党候选人迈克·罗杰斯提出了一套以首付援助、降低购房价格和利率以及激励新建住房为核心的住房政策。
Michigan's median home sales price increased 23%, higher than the overall 6% and the other toss-up states. Redfin's chief economist Daryl Fairweather said there aren't any signs that the housing market will improve soon. "If anything, it's gotten a little bit worse in recent weeks with the bond market flaring up and mortgage rates going up," Fairweather said. Republican Mike Rogers, who's running against El-Sayed in Michigan, has a housing platform centered on down payment assistance, lowering purchase and interest rates, and incentivizing new housing construction.
“我为密歇根州倡导的解决方案超越了党派分歧：让住房变得负担得起、创造就业机会、修复我们失灵的医疗体系，并拯救我们的学校，”罗杰斯对非营利新闻网站Bridge Michigan表示。
"The solutions I'm championing for Michigan transcend party lines: making housing affordable, bringing back jobs, fixing our broken healthcare system, and saving schools," Rogers told nonprofit news site Bridge Michigan.
与此同时，埃尔-赛义德提议简化地方法规以建造更多住房、禁止算法化的租金定价，并扩大首付援助计划。在特朗普第二个任期内，接连出台了大量新关税。企业不得不思考这些关税将如何影响它们的进口商品，以及是否将这些成本转嫁给消费者。在缅因州，共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯对唐纳德·特朗普总统对加拿大征收的关税提出了反对，称她认为新一轮关税的征收是一个“错误”。
Meanwhile, El-Sayed has proposed streamlining local regulations to build more housing, banning algorithmic rental pricing, and expanding down payment assistance. Throughout Trump's second term, there have been a slew of new tariffs. Businesses had to figure out what this would mean for what they import, and whether to pass these costs on to consumers. In Maine, Republican Sen. Susan Collins has pushed back on President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, saying that she thought imposing the fresh round of levies was a "mistake."
柯林斯表示：“缅因州的蓝莓、土豆、龙虾和木材——这些产品都在边境另一侧进行加工。如果这些商品在进口时面临高达50%的巨额关税，那么这将增加人们吃饭、建造房屋以及购买我们最知名产品的成本。”柯林斯的竞选网站强调她在减少温室气体排放和推动清洁能源就业方面的工作。与此同时，她的民主党对手特洛伊·杰克逊则表示，“关税只会伤害我们”，该州需要一位能够对抗总统的参议员。
"Maine, our blueberries, our potatoes, our lobster, our lumber — that is processed across the border," Collins said. "If it comes back with a huge tariff on it, perhaps as much as 50%, that increases the cost of eating, building homes, and purchasing our best-known products." Collins' site touts her work in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and bringing online clean energy jobs. Meanwhile, Democratic opponent Troy Jackson has said that "tariffs will only hurt us," and that the state needs a senator who will stand up to the president.
截至7月，美国今年迄今已进口超过2万亿美元的货物，其中关键摇摆州得克萨斯州占了15%。ABC 7新闻就如何保护牛群生产者和牧场主向民主党候选人塔拉里科提问。他的回答部分提到了取消关税：“我们必须废除这些腐败的关税，因为它们正在推高化肥价格、设备成本，并给我们的得克萨斯州畜牧业带来巨大压力。”而他的对手、共和党人肯·帕克斯顿在最近的事件中，对关税问题始终保持沉默。
As of July, the US imported over $2 trillion in goods year to date, with battleground Texas accounting for 15% of that. ABC 7 News asked Democratic candidate Talarico about what he would do to protect cattle producers and ranchers. Part of his answer included eliminating tariffs: "We've got to reverse these corrupt tariffs that are driving up the price of fertilizer, the cost of equipment, and really putting a strain on our Texas cattle industry," he said. His opponent, Republican Ken Paxton, has been notably quiet about tariffs during recent events.