Democrats are blaming rising gasoline prices—which have reached unprecedented levels in various parts of the country—on monopolies and price gouging. Republicans have called this “political cover” for the midterms, which they are increasingly optimistic will see a GOP sweep. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, when President Donald Trump left office, gasoline cost an average of $2.42 per gallon across the nation. Since Biden entered the White House, the price has increased dramatically. Data gathered by the American Automobile Association shows that as of March 8, gasoline costs an average of $4.17 per gallon. Western states like California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada have been especially hard hit, with the price of gas averaging around $5.44 per gallon in California. In Los Angeles, prices have come close to $7 for the first time in U.S. history. Democrats and Republicans have widely varying interpretations of the reasons for this rapid …