Trump Touts Energy Profits as Americans Face Record Gas Costs

President Donald Trump has kept up a steady message about the fortunes energy companies have made during the Iran war. He is raising the subject as he travels the country on behalf of Republican candidates ahead of next week's midterm elections.

The emphasis on industry profits sits uneasily with what ordinary motorists are paying. Coverage of the campaign describes this as the most expensive year for gas prices in U.S. history, which means households are spending more at the pump than in any comparable period on record. For families already stretched by rent, groceries and other bills, the gap between corporate gains and fuel costs is becoming hard to ignore.

Trump's pitch has focused on the earnings side of the ledger. Voters, however, tend to judge energy policy by the price on the sign at the station, and that is where the message faces its toughest test.

With the midterms days away, energy prices are likely to remain a central issue. How voters weigh the industry's windfall against their own fuel bills may say a good deal about how the election turns out.