Vance blames Biden and Iran for rising petrol prices at town hall

A former Trump voter confronted Vice-President JD Vance at a televised town hall over rising petrol prices and said he now plans to back Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s closely contested Senate race. Vance acknowledged prices were too high but blamed reduced US refining capacity under Joe Biden and Iranian attacks on commercial shipping, arguing that ending the conflict could bring prices down.

The voter, Keyshawn, said petrol in Detroit had cost him as little as $1.17 a gallon during Trump’s first term, compared with $4.33 now; the article says the national average rose from $2.98 to $4.33 after the US went to war with Iran. Host Tony Dokoupil challenged Vance over the Trump administration’s responsibility and his earlier description of the increase as temporary, but Vance gave no timeline. Michigan’s open Senate seat is described as a tight race that could affect control of the chamber ahead of the midterm elections.