High gas and electricity costs are emerging as a central issue in Michigan's 2026 elections. Both parties are focusing on affordability as voters head to the polls this fall.
Gas prices in Michigan rose sharply after war broke out with Iran in late February. The average price jumped 32 percent in three weeks, from $2.99 to $3.95 a gallon. Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared an energy emergency to allow cheaper fuel sales, but prices continued to climb before easing in recent months.
A mid-June Climate Power survey of 600 likely voters found 58 percent believe President Donald Trump has made energy prices more expensive. Forty-two percent said they would be less likely to support a candidate who backs his energy policies. The Democratic Senate primary is scheduled for August 4.
House Republicans passed Project Lighthouse last month to repeal the state's 2023 Clean Energy and Jobs Act, which requires 100 percent renewable electricity by 2040. The bill is expected to stall in the Democratic Senate. Voters in competitive districts like the 7th Congressional District have cited gas, groceries, and health care costs as key concerns.
