In a closely contested California House race that could potentially impact the congressional majority in November, Republicans are gearing up for a battle over gas prices and climate policies.
The National Republican Congressional Committee is going after Democratic candidate Rudy Salas for his support in extending California’s programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions during his time as a state lawmaker in 2017.
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In a statement, NRCC spokesperson Ben Petersen expressed that despite being removed from his position by the Central Valley voters, Sacramento politician Rudy Salas is still causing harm to them through his zombie gas tax hike. Petersen added that when Valley drivers are forced by Sacramento Newsom bureaucrats to pay an additional 47 cents per gallon, Salas’ vote will be held accountable for this burden.
Salas’ campaign chose not to provide any statement regarding the vote. The vote was cast on a bill that had the support of both parties and that renewed California’s emissions trading system for significant polluters, as well as its emissions trading program for transportation fuels that is open for debate. Salas’ campaign manager emphasized the fact that Salas had voted against the increase of California’s gasoline tax in 2017.
Kyle Buda praised Rudy for his courage in opposing the gas tax as the sole Assembly Democrat to do so. Buda acknowledged that Rudy is not afraid to go against his own party and emphasized that he will continue to support domestic energy production in the Valley if elected to Congress.
The NRCC is endorsing the current Republican Representative, David Valadao. Valadao highlights his endorsement for “boosting domestic energy production” and “putting a halt to the hike in gas taxes.” He also opposes the climate programs in California.
Valadao expressed his concern over the rising gas prices faced by hardworking Central Valley families. According to him, the region is facing the highest gas prices in the country, and the situation is about to worsen due to the actions of Governor Newsom and Rudy Salas.
In November, the state regulators are set to make changes to the low-carbon fuel standard. The program is aimed at promoting electrification and biofuels and is supported by proceeds from the sale of credits purchased by fossil fuel producers to offset their emissions. Currently, this program adds about 10 cents per gallon to the cost of fuel. Although an initial report predicted an increase of up to 47 cents per gallon by 2025, a later staff report noted that these estimates were incomplete and hard to predict. The California Air Resources Board will vote on the proposed changes on November 8th.
Campaign committees have a history of using energy politics to their advantage in this Central Valley district, which leans towards the Democratic party. Valadao won the district in 2012 and defended it against Salas in 2022.
Last year, Valadao faced criticism from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for voting against the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. According to the DCCC, Valadao’s negative vote prevented the saving of a California nuclear facility, which he had previously commended for its energy cost reduction efforts. The DCCC argued that the bill contained provisions for nuclear power funding, which could have been used to keep the facility operational.
Valadao has expressed his support for a diverse approach to energy production, encompassing nuclear power. He even cosponsored a federal legislation in 2021 that aimed to prevent the closure of the plant, although it was ultimately unsuccessful.
In an email, Buda once again brought up Valadao’s vote against the infrastructure law in 2021. He emphasized that while Rudy had a proven record of supporting domestic energy production, Valadao had not provided any explanation for voting against funding to keep the Diablo Canyon power plant operational, which had resulted in increased utility rates for families in the Valley.
Faith Mabry, spokesperson for the Valadao campaign, stood by their endorsement of the nuclear plant.
In an email, she pointed out, “Governor Newsom and State Democrats were the ones who advocated for the shutdown of Diablo Canyon, and yet Rudy’s team seems to have forgotten this fact. It’s absurd to make claims that Rep. Valadao doesn’t support the facility or nuclear energy in Congress when he has a track record of doing just that.”
