I was traveling on business this week to a large city in a state with a large Obama lead. I live in a swing state. I have long held the view that oil and gasoline prices moderate in the months before a national election. I would like to share my limited observations on the price of gasoline recently (as recently as yesterday), and ask the members of the Kos community to honestly answer a poll, and to comment, to either prove or disprove my hypothesis that gasoline prices are lower in swing states as a means to influence the election in the direction of Republicans.
Yesterday in Chicago, in a state where Barack Obama has a 27 point lead over John McCain, gasoline prices ranged between $2.97 and $3.13 per gallon. In Columbus, the price range I observed is between $2.26 and $2.31 per gallon.
My short diary consists of a poll, which I hope people will answer honestly, that asks about the price of gas where you are, and if you are in a strong Obama lead, swing or strong McCain lead area. I would like to see if where you live, and the closeness of the race correlates to the price of gasoline. In effect, if your price in a leans Obama or leans McCain area is greater than that in a swing state.
I have to leave now, but will check back in two hours.
Please feel free to add comments that provide more detail than a simple poll does, particularly the state you live in and the exact prices you have seen today or yesterday. Thanks to all.
Update. 104 people responded to my poll, and I put the results in the graphic below. Not enough data to be conclusive, but it suggests that if you live in a blue state, your gasoline might cost more than if you live in a swing state or a red state. Take it with a grain of salt.