Little relief expected for gas prices ahead of Election Day, according to prediction markets

Affordability is seen as one of voters' top issues heading into the 2026 midterm elections . And gas prices — one of the items where consumers are getting squeezed the most — are expected to remain elevated through Election Day. Speculators on prediction market platform Kalshi give an 87% chance that the AAA national average for gas prices will remain above $4 per gallon on Nov. 3. But while they expect prices to stay above that mark, they do think there's a chance they'll come down from the levels where they currently are, giving just a 42% chance the average is above $4.25 on Election Day. As of Thursday, the national average is currently at $4.36 per gallon. Gas prices peaked at an average of $4.