Maine Senate Race Tightens as Cold Weather and High Prices Could Flip Seat

Prices weigh on voters

President Donald Trump has faced several political liabilities in his second term, but the article identifies the cost of living as the most damaging for voters. With expenses rising, Republican prospects are weakening as the midterm campaign approaches Election Day.

A Consumer Price Index report released Wednesday showed consumer prices up 3.7 percent from a year earlier. Fuel was a major driver: gasoline cost 9.1 percent more in September than in August, and average real wages have declined 44 cents since January. In a recent Pew Research survey, 21 percent of Americans rated economic conditions “excellent” or “good.” The article says 65 percent believed Trump’s policies had made the economy worse.

Maine race faces energy test

Maine is the country’s second-coldest state and relies unusually heavily on oil for home heating. As autumn advances, greater use of heating oil is expected to raise household bills and market prices. A gallon already costs nearly twice what it did at the same time last year, amid a global energy crunch.

Jackson has repeatedly criticized Collins over energy costs. The article says those rising bills could increase voters’ appetite for change and affect Collins’s reelection prospects, as well as Republican hopes of retaining Senate control.

Energy costs resonate elsewhere

In Alaska, Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola has criticized Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan over high diesel prices. Many Alaskans use diesel to heat their homes. In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has attacked Republican rival Ken Paxton over his support for the Iran war, which Talarico says is driving up costs.