Gas prices in two Midwestern battleground states saw further hikes on Thursday as the region’s market grapples with a refinery issue in Illinois.
In Michigan, prices rose to $4.74 a gallon on Thursday, up from $4.59 a gallon on Wednesday, according to GasBuddy, a fuel savings app that tracks prices in live time. In Ohio, prices stood at $4.34 a gallon, up from $4.05 a gallon on Wednesday. GasBuddy’s prices differ slightly from those released by AAA, which issues nightly updates on prices.
A shut-down of a key unit at ExxonMobil Holdings Corp.’s Joliet, Illinois, refinery had already pushed prices significantly higher on Wednesday in both states.
Polls show tight Senate races in both states, with the cost of living and pump prices top voter issues in the midterm elections 12 days from now. Democrats must hold on to their seat in Michigan, a state won by President Donald Trump in 2024, if they hope to flip control of the US Senate. Republicans similarly see Ohio as crucial to maintaining their majority.
The impacts are spreading throughout the broader area, with price hikes in Wisconsin and Indiana, as well as Illinois.
Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
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Pricing Trends
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