A Democratic governor unloaded on Republicans who claim their policies are leading to lower energy prices for everyday Americans.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis discussed energy prices in a new episode of the "Politico Energy Podcast" with host Zack Colman on Monday, arguing that President Donald Trump's tariffs, the war in Iran, and expiring energy tax credits have driven energy prices higher for ratepayers.
"If they are saying they're trying to reduce the cost of energy, they're clearly failing because the cost of energy is going up for ratepayers," Polis said. The expiration of the renewable energy tax credits is another upward pressure. The tariffs put enormous upward pressure on energy costs because much of the equipment used for energy extraction originates overseas.
So there are a number of policies that they are implementing that lead to higher costs for regular Americans."
Trump and his Republican colleagues largely campaigned on a promise to lower the cost of living for Americans during the 2024 campaign season. However, those appear to have been empty promises as the cost of living continues to climb.
Polis mentioned that one group benefiting from high energy costs is oil and gas companies.
"We are consumers of energy, and that's where voters think with their heads," Polis said. "I mean, we care about the price of gas. We don't care about the profits of Chevron as much. We certainly want them doing well. They're happy they're doing their work. But I don't think your average voter is willing to pay $5 or $6 a gallon for gas just so Chevron can make bigger profits."