The expanding conflict in the Middle East is thwarting the Trump administration's bid to lower gasoline prices ahead of the looming midterm elections. The global Brent crude benchmark price has surged more than $25 a barrel since President Donald Trump declared the tenuous ceasefire with Iran 'OVER!' earlier this month, topping $100 briefly on Thursday after reports that the Houthis in Yemen struck at least one oil tanker. 'The danger for Republicans is we're now just a little over three months away from Election Day,' said Mark Jones of Rice University.