In Other News · United States · Politics

Source: Axios

States are taking on the stubbornly high fuel prices squeezing Americans ahead of the midterm elections, pushing through tax holidays and other tactics to offer relief while federal efforts have stalled.Why it matters: With November 3 less than 30 days away, the political stakes of those price-lowering levers — even if the relief is only modest — are surging amid sky-high costs.While several lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at or pressed for suspending the federal gas tax, which is 18.4 cents per gallon for gas and 24.4 for diesel, Washington hasn't coalesced around a solution.Driving the news: That's left states seeking ways to give their residents relief. Case in point: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed a bill last week that suspends Ohio's gas tax for 90 days, an effort that earned bipartisan backing. There's an underlying election story: The state's Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Amy Acton, had called for a gas tax holiday, followed by her rival, Vivek Ramaswamy, announcing a plan with GOP leaders.Flashback: Georgia was the first state to suspend its fuel taxes amid the war in Iran, with Republican Gov. Brian Kemp approving a 60-day pause back in March. Since then, at least five other states (including...