Senator Suzette Valladares, a member of the California State Senate, posted several statements on March 13, 2026, criticizing state energy policies and responses to rising gas prices.
In a post published at 13:19 UTC, Valladares referenced political debate over fuel costs: “Republicans have spent years hammering Gavin Newsom for California’s high gas prices. Now, the Democratic governor is seizing a sudden opening to shift the blame to Donald Trump as the war in Iran sends oil costs skyward.” Gavin Newsom wants to hand Donald Trump his gasoline.
Later that day at 17:22 UTC, she commented on California’s approach to energy production and its impact on consumers: “For YEARS California chose ideology over energy reality. They pushed out reliable in-state fuel production and made us dependent on imported fuel. That means when global conflict hits – California gets hit first and hardest. Today’s average price: CA: $5.42 U.S.: $3.63 Bad https://t.co/o1frMPD6oA”.
At 23:53 UTC, Valladares addressed federal involvement in state energy matters and proposed specific policy changes: “If CA had a stable energy strategy, Washington wouldn’t feel compelled to step in. I’ll say it again – federal intervention is a Band-Aid for immediate relief. We need to suspend the gas tax and the summer blend and work on policies in Sacramento to stabilize our market.”
California has historically maintained higher gasoline prices than most other states due to factors such as environmental regulations, taxes, and limited refining capacity within the state. Periods of international instability—such as armed conflict involving major oil-producing countries—can exacerbate these differences by disrupting global supply chains and increasing reliance on imports.
