At $3.66 gas, Trump supporters confront Iran and affordability concerns with message to critics: give him time
Support at the Perry rally
Rallygoers in Perry, Georgia, voiced support for Trump ahead of the midterms. He appeared Saturday with Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson, Rep. Mike Collins and candidates running for House seats across the state.
Collins is seeking to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff. Some attendees said Trump’s endorsement mattered as they continued learning about Collins. The report put Trump’s approval rating at 36% and disapproval at 64%.
Barkman urges patience
Gloria Barkman said she supports Trump because she believes he follows through on promises. She acknowledged that people were upset about gas prices and other conditions, but said they should allow time for results.
Gas in Georgia was around $3.66 per gallon, up from an average of $2.72 in February, before the Iran war began. The conflict has disrupted global oil markets amid Iranian attacks on commercial vessels and threats involving shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Veteran weighs Iran risks
Jim Taylor, an Air Force veteran, said he accepted temporarily higher fuel costs as a trade-off for preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He said the danger of a nuclear attack outweighed concerns about gas prices.
About 65% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s actions in the Iran conflict, according to Pew. At the rally, Trump predicted oil prices would fall soon and cited an inflation rate of 1.7% over the previous three months.
Key points
- Trump supporters at a Perry rally backed him despite higher fuel costs and affordability concerns.
- Gloria Barkman said supporters should give Trump time to demonstrate results.
- Jim Taylor said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon outweighed temporary gas-price increases.
- Georgia gas prices were about $3.66 per gallon, compared with $2.72 in February.