Historically, gas prices drop in the weeks before a presidential election. But drivers suffering record-high gas prices in the D.C. may not get a break this campaign season.
In 2008, the price of gas was $4.11 per gallon in July, but by Election Day, it had fallen to a little less than $2 per gallon. Although that was a particularly big drop, that's what gas prices have done for decades -- until now, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.
"We've never seen gas prices this radioactive in any national election year... [as long as] we've been keeping records, and that goes back to the 1980s," said John Townsend of AAA.
In fact, the price of gas has been rising every day for the past five weeks, with the average price of a gallon of gas nationally now at $3.78, according to AAA.
Fuel in Maryland averages $3.71 per gallon, and Virginia's gas costs $3.61 on average. The District has the highest prices in the area with an average of $3.90 per gallon.
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