Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently celebrated the success of the state’s October gas tax holiday, sending gas prices to the fifth lowest in the nation, three dollars less than California.
According to Florida Politics, DeSantis made the statements during a press conference in Nokomis.
“[I]f you look at the prices in Florida since that’s gone into effect and been internalized into the market, we have the fifth lowest gas prices in the country right now,” “I actually saw it at $2.99. I have not seen it under three dollars in a long time. Certainly, I don’t think, since Jan. 20 a year and a half ago,”
With our October gas tax holiday underway, Florida went from 17th least expensive gas in the nation to #5.
Hope you enjoy the savings while the holiday is in effect! pic.twitter.com/szlz7ePvSY
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 6, 2022
While the national average gas price per gallon sits at $3.86, according to AAA, Florida’s current average is $3.22. DeSantis compared this success to the situation in California, where gas prices have passed six bucks a gallon.
“We now have the fifth lowest gas prices in the United States. I think our average, as of yesterday, I think it was like $3.11. You know, the average in California is like $6.25. Can you imagine having to pay that much for fuel?”
The jab is the most recent in a flurry of snipes between Governors Newsom and DeSantis. Newsom has called DeSantis a “bully” and has released ads beckoning Americans to return to California by disparaging red states.
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But the numbers speak for themselves; last week, the average gas price hit a record high in Los Angeles, California, reaching $6.49 per gallon on Wednesday. Newsom has blamed the situation on corporations, not on his policy, and has attempted to alleviate the problem by pushing a one-time windfall tax to “hold greedy oil companies accountable,” according to The Hill. If this theory is to be believed, the corporations seem to only be greedy in blue states, something the DeSantis War Room Twitter account quickly highlighted.
Charlie Crist wants to make Florida into California.
No thanks… pic.twitter.com/omdqpFluC4
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 #FloridaStrong (@DeSantisWarRoom) October 7, 2022
DeSantis, however, predicted that price spikes were on the way for Florida and the rest of the country due to a recent decision by OPEC+ to reduce oil production by 2 million barrels a day. Due to Biden’s cancellation of the keystone pipeline and the general move away from American energy independence post-Trump has put the US at the mercy of OPEC+ and decisions like this, which DeSantis also referenced at the Nakomis press conference.
“I’m fearful of seeing some spikes in energy because of OPEC and some of the other things that are going on, some of our policies in the United states, I think it’s making it really really difficult.”
DeSantis was correct, and gas prices rose in Florida by 16 cents. Floridians are now paying an average price of $3.33 per gallon. That’s 7 cents more than the average price last Sunday, per Florida Politics, but it is still lower than October 1st prices.
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