Does the blue wave mean lower gasoline and diesel prices soon? Don't hold your breath

A new Democratic majority in Congress could pressure the president to end the war in Iran. But it will be harder for them to directly affect fuel prices, which are tied to a complex international oil market.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/8174x5449+0+0/resize/8174x5449!/quality/85/format/webp/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa1%2Fd5%2F2f507d3245b58e37869c017c2f94%2Fap26107769190989.jpg' alt='A customer replaces the nozzle on a gasoline pump after making a purchase at Fuel City filling station Friday, April 17, 2026, in Dallas.'/><p>A new Democratic majority in Congress could pressure the president to end the war in Iran. But it will be harder for them to directly affect fuel prices, which are tied to a complex international oil market.</p><p>(Image credit: Tony Gutierrez)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-6029365' />