Ohio Faces Brunt of OPEC Decision as JD Vance, Tim Ryan Gear Up for Debate

Rising gas prices have spread quickly throughout America following last week's decision by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut oil production by 2 million barrels a day, and some areas are feeling the brunt more than others.

Although some experts believe the OPEC cut will amount to 900,000 or 1 million barrels a day, gas prices could still rise further depending on the global response to the production cut. Many are waiting to see how America might fare following the decision.

Gas prices have leveled out in some states likely to have high prices already, like California and other Pacific Northwest, but Americans are now being hit hard in the South, Northeast and Midwest. Prices are beginning to creep up before midterm elections and could have an impact on whom voters choose. A steep increase over last week's prices could impact a key Senate election in Ohio, where Republican JD Vance and Democratic Representative Tim Ryan debate for the first time tonight.

AAA reported that Ohio ranked in the top 10 states with the steepest change in prices over last week. Ohio was No. 6 behind Mississippi and ahead of Alabama with a 23-cent average increase, a 6.2 percent jump. Prices are averaging $3.92 in the Buckeye state, with some counties trending higher at $3.99. Vance and Ryan have been vocal about the high gas prices, but they blame different people for the impact on Americans' wallets.

Ryan has maintained a slight lead over Vance in the polls, and the election for retiring Republican Rob Portman's seat could alter the Senate's makeup, which is at 50-50.

Vance, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, has blamed President Joe Biden in the past for the gas price hikes, particularly over the summer when gas in Ohio trended near $5 per gallon. According to Vance's website, he criticized Ryan and Biden over their "outrageous" energy policies and the price of gas.

"JD supports common sense, America first energy policies that will restore our energy independence and drive prices down for every American," Luke Schroeder, a spokesperson for the Vance campaign, told Newsweek. "Joe Biden and Tim Ryan's disastrous energy policies have driven prices up, harmed our national security, and put foreign nations in control of global energy markets. Every Ohioan knows it's time for new leadership and a new direction."

In the spring, Ryan voted in favor of approving a federal gas tax cut. According to the White House, the federal government charges an 18-cent tax per gallon of gasoline and a 24-cent tax per gallon of diesel. The taxes fund highways and public transportation through the Highway Trust Fund.

Ryan has taken a different approach to placing blame for the rising gas prices, publicly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian-Ukrainian war for the high prices.

"Today I'll vote to ban U.S. dollars from funding Putin's war machine," Ryan tweeted in March. "Now we must do everything in our power to shield working people from Putin's price hike at the pump by fully restoring America's energy independence and passing a working-class tax cut."

Rising gas prices are a stressor for Biden, whose administration has tried to convince Saudi Arabia not to go through with the OPEC decision.

Newsweek reached out to the Ryan campaign for comment.

Update 10/10/22, 2:46 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Vance's campaign.