California Democrats vying to be governor take on soaring gas prices
Policy without accountability is dangerous.
Two Democrats in California’s crowded gubernatorial race are breaking with their party’s long-standing energy policies and calling for immediate action to bring down soaring fuel costs.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D) and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are urging the state to intervene, with Mahan proposing a temporary suspension of California’s nation-leading gas tax and Villaraigosa calling for a moratorium on refinery regulations he says are driving up prices.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan at his desk on May 5, 2025. (Barnini Chakraborty/Washington Examiner)
The proposals mark a notable shift for Democrats in a state that has aggressively pursued climate policies and highlight tensions between environmental goals and the rising cost of living, especially for working-class voters.
In a video posted on social media, Mahan, standing in front of a gas pump, said costs are “becoming an emergency for working families, and I think we ought to act like it.” The mayor called on state lawmakers to suspend California’s gas tax, which at 61 cents per gallon is the highest in the nation.
Villaraigosa, meanwhile, blamed regulations for “overburdening” California refineries and working families.
“These failed policies are not only hurting tens of millions of Californians, they are terrible for the environment because they have forced California to depend on imported foreign oil from the Middle East,” he said in a written statement.
If elected, Villaraigosa claimed he would work to reform and overhaul regulations because “we can no longer allow bureaucrats who live in a bubble — with no accountability for the harm they are causing our economy and our people — to have so much power over the lives of every Californian.”
California’s high gas prices are driven by elevated fuel taxes and strict environmental standards requiring cleaner-burning gasoline, causing friction among regulators, refiners, and consumers.
Compounding the issue, California depends heavily on foreign crude that is refined locally. Data from the California Energy Commission shows that in 2025, about 61% of the oil processed in the state came from overseas sources such as Brazil, Iraq, and Guyana, while only 23% was produced within California.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California on Tuesday was $5.54, the highest in the nation. The national average was $3.70, up from the previous month’s average of $2.92.
Rising expenses in California, …
Policy without accountability is dangerous.
Two Democrats in California’s crowded gubernatorial race are breaking with their party’s long-standing energy policies and calling for immediate action to bring down soaring fuel costs.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D) and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are urging the state to intervene, with Mahan proposing a temporary suspension of California’s nation-leading gas tax and Villaraigosa calling for a moratorium on refinery regulations he says are driving up prices.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan at his desk on May 5, 2025. (Barnini Chakraborty/Washington Examiner)
The proposals mark a notable shift for Democrats in a state that has aggressively pursued climate policies and highlight tensions between environmental goals and the rising cost of living, especially for working-class voters.
In a video posted on social media, Mahan, standing in front of a gas pump, said costs are “becoming an emergency for working families, and I think we ought to act like it.” The mayor called on state lawmakers to suspend California’s gas tax, which at 61 cents per gallon is the highest in the nation.
Villaraigosa, meanwhile, blamed regulations for “overburdening” California refineries and working families.
“These failed policies are not only hurting tens of millions of Californians, they are terrible for the environment because they have forced California to depend on imported foreign oil from the Middle East,” he said in a written statement.
If elected, Villaraigosa claimed he would work to reform and overhaul regulations because “we can no longer allow bureaucrats who live in a bubble — with no accountability for the harm they are causing our economy and our people — to have so much power over the lives of every Californian.”
California’s high gas prices are driven by elevated fuel taxes and strict environmental standards requiring cleaner-burning gasoline, causing friction among regulators, refiners, and consumers.
Compounding the issue, California depends heavily on foreign crude that is refined locally. Data from the California Energy Commission shows that in 2025, about 61% of the oil processed in the state came from overseas sources such as Brazil, Iraq, and Guyana, while only 23% was produced within California.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California on Tuesday was $5.54, the highest in the nation. The national average was $3.70, up from the previous month’s average of $2.92.
Rising expenses in California, …
California Democrats vying to be governor take on soaring gas prices
Policy without accountability is dangerous.
Two Democrats in California’s crowded gubernatorial race are breaking with their party’s long-standing energy policies and calling for immediate action to bring down soaring fuel costs.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D) and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are urging the state to intervene, with Mahan proposing a temporary suspension of California’s nation-leading gas tax and Villaraigosa calling for a moratorium on refinery regulations he says are driving up prices.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan at his desk on May 5, 2025. (Barnini Chakraborty/Washington Examiner)
The proposals mark a notable shift for Democrats in a state that has aggressively pursued climate policies and highlight tensions between environmental goals and the rising cost of living, especially for working-class voters.
In a video posted on social media, Mahan, standing in front of a gas pump, said costs are “becoming an emergency for working families, and I think we ought to act like it.” The mayor called on state lawmakers to suspend California’s gas tax, which at 61 cents per gallon is the highest in the nation.
Villaraigosa, meanwhile, blamed regulations for “overburdening” California refineries and working families.
“These failed policies are not only hurting tens of millions of Californians, they are terrible for the environment because they have forced California to depend on imported foreign oil from the Middle East,” he said in a written statement.
If elected, Villaraigosa claimed he would work to reform and overhaul regulations because “we can no longer allow bureaucrats who live in a bubble — with no accountability for the harm they are causing our economy and our people — to have so much power over the lives of every Californian.”
California’s high gas prices are driven by elevated fuel taxes and strict environmental standards requiring cleaner-burning gasoline, causing friction among regulators, refiners, and consumers.
Compounding the issue, California depends heavily on foreign crude that is refined locally. Data from the California Energy Commission shows that in 2025, about 61% of the oil processed in the state came from overseas sources such as Brazil, Iraq, and Guyana, while only 23% was produced within California.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California on Tuesday was $5.54, the highest in the nation. The national average was $3.70, up from the previous month’s average of $2.92.
Rising expenses in California, …
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