Economists and energy experts have lambasted Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) call to boycott Chevron, noting the state’s high gas prices are due to Newsom’s anti-energy agenda.
This week, Newsom urged California drivers to avoid Chevron stations over Memorial Day weekend, citing high gas prices.
He wrote:
Californians, if you’re hitting the road this holiday weekend, be sure to AVOID Chevron.
Pro tip: unbranded gas comes from the same refineries, storage tanks, and pipelines, and it meets the same state standards to keep your engine running clean, even if it doesn’t have a fancy name like ‘Techron.’
Big Oil is already making billions off Trump’s Iran War; don’t let them rip you off even more by overpaying for the brand name.
Newsom has tried to shift the blame from his his administration’s anti-energy production policies.
Although gasoline prices are elevated amidst the country’s conflict with Iran, California faces uniquely high price points.
Many of the policies that lead to high energy prices include:
- California has a 61.2 cents per gallon excise tax on gasoline, which is roughly double the average state gasoline tax
- The California Energy Commission estimates that environment compliance costs adds as much as .54 cent per gas as of March 2025. Onerous regulations include the state’s Cap-and-Trade Program and the Low Carbon Fuel Standard
- Refineries in the state have continued to close, with California set to lose 17 percent of its oil refinery capacity over the next 12 months, or from July 2026 to July 2026. Breitbart News has documented the number of oil refineries that have left California
The energy producer exodus from California led Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) to tell Breitbart News in March that this proves that Newsom would be a terrible president.
Stephen Moore, the chairman of The Committee to Unleash Prosperity, said, “California will not produce its own energy. California is one of the most energy-rich places in the country, and they refuse to do ‘Drill, Baby, Drill.’”
“Here’s a simple civics lesson for Sacramento: Chevron employs thousands, fuels California’s economy, and keeps gas in your tank. What does over-regulation deliver? Higher prices and less freedom. Californians don’t need more Newsom — they need more Chevron,” Steve Forbes, the chairman of Forbes Media, wrote.
Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio Secretary of State and state Treasurer wrote, “California’s steep gas prices are the direct result of decades of anti-energy regulations putting the green agenda over consumers. Newsom should take responsibility for his policies rather than scapegoating the companies that keep his state moving.”
“Let Gavin Newsom not govern California for the weekend and let Chevron shutdown. Let’s see who Californians miss more,” Steve Milloy, the former Trump EPA Transition team adviser, said.
Jason Isaac, CEO of the American Energy Institute, said, “Chevron just called out California’s insane ‘green’ policies for making gas unbelievably expensive. “Sacramento policies did this. Now you pay more. California politicians are choosing foreign oil and fuels over local jobs and lower costs.”
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