President Donald Trump on Monday took his Republican midterm rescue mission to Nebraska, where he signed an executive order to ease limits on the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel, a decision he said would save “millions” for farmers and drive down the cost of all goods with just four weeks to go until the elections. Pete Ricketts, who is running against an independent candidate backed by national Democrats, and Gov. Jim Pillen, who is seeking a second term.
Diesel fuel prices have spiked in the aftermath of the Iran war, rattling voters and putting pressure on Republicans. Diesel fuel that is intended for off-road uses such as agriculture is exempt from federal and state excise taxes, and it is dyed for law enforcement purposes, the White House explained in a fact sheet. Temporarily removing the limits would reduce cost pressures on the businesses that rely on diesel.
He said the order will save farmers millions of dollars and drive down the cost of goods. Read moreUS presses Europe to release diesel reserves 'immediately' as Trump threatens export ban Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, a platform that monitors national gasoline and diesel prices, noted last week, when news of the possible action began to surface, that such an order could save money for on-road users but not farmers, who already use red-dyed diesel. Trump's trip is part of what the Republican president says is a 32-day blitz of rallies ahead of Nov. 3 that so far has taken him to ruby-red territory such as Oklahoma and Alabama.
On Wednesday, he'll make his second stop in two weeks in Texas with a rally in San Antonio. Ricketts, a former governor of the state, was appointed then later elected to fill Sen. Ben Sasse’s seat when he left to run the University of Florida in 2023.
Now Ricketts is running for his first full six-year term against independent Dan Osborn – a race that initially was not expected to be competitive but is now being watched by the national parties. Voters across the country are frustrated with Trump's handling of the economy, including persistently high costs for fuel and groceries. It's a major issue for rural voters who have backed the president and his party in recent elections.
Read moreEarly voting begins in US midterms that could see Republicans lose control of Congress The administration’s plan to allow more imports of foreign beef has particularly roiled the agriculture-rich state of Nebraska. Trump wants to lower beef prices for consumers, but ranchers have rebelled against the import proposal, arguing it would undercut them. The economy as far as groceries and stuff like that, it's going to go down too.
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