Driving the news: The average price for a gallon of regular gas in California reached $5.88 on Wednesday, versus $4.22 nationwide — a gap of nearly $1.70 per gallon, according to AAA data. Diesel hit a record $7.87 per gallon in the state.
By the numbers: - California now has the highest gas prices of any U.S. state. - Two major refineries recently shut down: Phillips 66's Los Angeles-area facility last year and Valero's Benicia refinery this year. - Together they represented roughly 17% of California's refining capacity, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. - The EIA warned the closures could increase fuel-price volatility.
Between the lines: Gov. Newsom pointed to the U.S. conflict with Iran and global oil-market disruptions as the main culprits — sarcastically crediting President Trump on X. But those pressures hit every state. California's premium over the national average predates the current global shock.
Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., told The Daily Signal that 'California's gas crisis is the result of poor policy and incompetent leadership,' citing refinery closures, blocked domestic production, and the state's high gas taxes. He argued California holds some of the nation's largest oil and gas reserves and should be developing them. Newsom's press office did not respond to a request for comment.
The bottom line: When Sacramento restricts refining capacity and blocks domestic production, California families pay the price at the pump — literally. The free-market case writes itself: the resources are in the ground, but regulation keeps them there.