Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) are at it again, this time over something every driver cares about: the price of gas. On Tuesday, Cruz jumped into the debate with a photo of himself at a Texas Chevron station, showing regular gas at $3.99 per gallon. His message to Newsom was blunt: "Hey Gavin—the problem isn't Chevron Corp. (CVX), it's California's stupid energy policies…."
The post was a direct response to Newsom, who spent the Memorial Day weekend urging Californians to boycott Chevron stations. Newsom's office had accused "Big Oil" of price gouging, saying the companies were using global disruptions to pad their profits. The governor pushed consumers toward unbranded gasoline as an alternative.
Newsom's press office didn't let Cruz's jab slide. They shot back on X, pointing out that Cruz's own receipt showed he paid 35 cents more per gallon than he could have at a nearby Costco. "We're so owned that Ted Cruz spent an extra 35 cents per gallon at Chevron… when he could have gone to Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) 2 blocks away (P.S. that's on top of the $1.35 more he's spending thanks to Trump's Iran War gas premium!)," the office wrote.
The exchange highlights a broader reality: gas prices are still painfully high across the country. As of May 26, the national average for regular gasoline was $4.491 per gallon, according to AAA. That's down slightly from a four-year Memorial Day high, but supply constraints and global market pressures keep prices elevated. California remains the most expensive state at $6.14 per gallon, followed by Washington at $5.78 and Hawaii at $5.64.
Meanwhile, oil prices have eased a bit. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.20% to $91.82 per barrel, while Brent crude dropped 1.72% to $97.85 per barrel. The United States Oil Fund (USO) ETF declined 2.78% to $137.00 at Tuesday's close.
The spat also revived Newsom's ongoing feud with oil producers. His office previously criticized the Trump administration's decision to reopen the Sable Offshore Corp (SOC) pipeline, which would supply oil to Chevron. The pipeline had been shut down after a 2015 spill caused significant damage. Newsom's office argues the pipeline threatens communities and California's $51 billion coastal economy.
So, who's right? Cruz says California's climate rules are the problem. Newsom says it's corporate greed and federal policies. Either way, drivers are stuck paying the price—literally.
