Ban on Russian oil is likely to further spike prices at the pump, creating a potential political headache for Democrats.
In a speech announcing the ban, Biden acknowledged it would probably result in more expensive gas for consumers in the United States, a potentially perilous admission for a president who has been scrambling to head off Republican attacks over the rising cost of groceries, rent and other items.
In his comments Tuesday, Biden also warned oil companies against price gouging, suggesting another potential villain if prices continue to rise. The question for Democrats is whether Americans’ emotional support for Ukrainians would continue to outweigh an ongoing rise in gas prices, especially if the war — and inflation — drag on. The midterms are still eight months away, enough time for sentiments to change dramatically.For now, Republicans in Congress are largely aligned with Democrats on the Russian oil and gas ban. “I strongly support America stopping purchasing Putin’s oil,” McConnell said on Twitter.
“This has been an all-points assault on the development of U.S. oil and gas resources, so this is not isolated — this is part of a pattern,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy . “And keep in mind, gas prices are high now, before they banned Russian gas. So I wouldn’t suddenly start blaming high gas prices upon this measure.”