Sen. Ted Cruz told CNBC that gas prices won’t have a big impact on the midterms, while revisiting his support for President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran and backing his allies in Texas’s Senate race.
Sen. Ted Cruz walked into the discussion already pressing his point: when asked what’s happening right now and whether Americans’ anger over gas prices could shape the upcoming midterms, he dismissed the connection.
“I’ve seen no data that suggests this is having a big impact on the midterms,” Cruz said Tuesday on CNBC.
He also tied energy costs to world events. arguing that the price at the pump responds to conflict rather than domestic politics. “Anytime there’s military conflict in the Middle East, gas prices go up,” he said. In his view, the direction of prices depends on whether the situation around Iran stabilizes. “If this gets resolved and resolved favorably. ” Cruz continued. “if we have a government in Iran that are not Islamists chanting death to America. funding terrorists. and trying to kill us. the long-term effect on the price of gas will be to bring it down.”.
Cruz then pivoted to a message about what he believes voters want from the White House. “I think the American people want the president to do the right thing for the country.”
But his remarks landed in a context that has looked different to many drivers. Cruz falsely claimed that under President Joe Biden. gas prices were between $5 and $6 a gallon. and that Trump was able to bring prices down when he took office in 2025. The U.S. Energy Information Administration data cited in the discussion shows the average gas price under Biden peaked at $4. Today’s national average is $4.29.
On the political stakes of those costs, Cruz’s downplaying drew a sharp contrast with polling and voter accounts. About 63% of Americans blame Trump for high gas prices. according to a new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll released in May. And in interviews with swing voters, NPR found high gas prices was a major point of concern. “I’m just really going to watch and look at these candidates more carefully to see who I feel is going to be more responsive to our needs and to be able to help out the middle class. because right now we are suffering. ” Theresa. a swing voter. told NPR.
Cruz didn’t treat the gas-price issue as a referendum on what voters are feeling. though he made it clear he believes Trump has already chosen the right course on Iran. He said Tuesday on CNBC that Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the “most consequential decision” of his second term. and he argued it was the right decision.
He also said he urged Trump to “hold the line” and not take a “bad deal” during negotiations with Iran. Cruz went further, saying he thinks there’s a “real” possibility Republicans hold both the House and Senate. “But we got work to do,” he said. “We’re not going to do that today, but the election’s November, not today.”.
The conversation quickly turned to Texas politics, where Cruz said he is fully backing the Republican ticket. As for the Senate race in Texas. he said he’s “all in” for Ken Paxton. the Republican nominee and Texas attorney general endorsed by Trump. Cruz called Democratic nominee James Talarico a “very dangerous” candidate because of his far left views. He said, “This guy is talented, he’s charismatic. He sounds like a preacher,” and added that Texas has a “real fight” ahead of them.
Ted Cruz CNBC gas prices midterm elections Donald Trump Joe Biden Iran strike Ken Paxton James Talarico Texas Senate race PBS News NPR Marist poll