Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and California Republican gubernatorial nominee Steve Hilton clashed during a television appearance over the impact of state energy policies and national leadership on soaring fuel costs. The debate centered on California’s high fuel prices, with Hilton attributing the economic burden directly to state Democratic governance, while Beshear pointed the finger at former President Donald Trump.
During Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s program “Real Time,” Hilton pointed to specific local conditions to argue that state regulations have driven up consumer expenses. He stated that diesel in California has reached nine dollars per gallon and blamed the spike on Democratic policies. Hilton contended that the state possesses abundant domestic oil reserves, which he said are currently being shut down rather than utilized.
According to Hilton, these restrictions force the state to import roughly 80 percent of its oil via large supertankers shipped from around the world. He further noted that with the closure of local refineries, California now imports refined gasoline, with India serving as the primary supplier. Hilton argued that because India purchases its crude oil from Russia, California’s climate policies have indirectly resulted in the state buying Russian oil.
When Beshear challenged Hilton by asking whether global conflicts factored into the equation, mentioning the war in Iran, Hilton maintained that multiple elements are at play. However, the exchange pivoted back to national politics when Beshear delivered a blunt assessment of market pricing over the past year.
Beshear asserted that one year prior, the price of diesel was less than half of its current rate. He stated that Donald Trump alone is responsible for the increase and asserted that any supporters of the former president share that responsibility.
