GOP Senate candidate on rising gas prices: ‘Maybe you take one less trip to Starbucks’
Trump Loosens Shipping Laws As Iran War Raises Price of Gas | TRENDING
A Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota suggested that Americans should cut back on daily costs amid the economic strain caused by the U.S. military operation in Iran.
Former NFL reporter Michele Tafoya acknowledged how “frustrating” and “hard” rising gas prices are for consumers during a Wednesday radio interview, but she suggested Americans should minimize some of their spending to support President Trump’s actions in the Middle East.
“I think right now at least just kind of keeping a stiff upper lip. Maybe you take one less trip to Starbucks and so that gas goes a little further,” she told Tennessee’s KWAM radio host Todd Starnes.
“Until this thing is over and these gas prices go back down again, let’s just try to be patriots about this,” Tafoya continued. “Whether you agree with it or not, we’re there and we’ve got to support our men and women in uniform.”
Iranian counterstrikes in the Gulf have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil trading channel in the Middle East, sending global energy rates soaring. In the U.S., average gas prices were up by more than 95 cents from a month ago Thursday, according to AAA.
The Trump administration has attempted to alleviate the economic impact of the war, moving to free up barrels from the U.S.’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, boosting domestic energy production and lifting some sanctions on Russian oil.
On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration will likely lift sanctions on Iranian oil that is already at sea in the coming days, freeing up an estimated 140 million barrels.
“That’s about 10 days to two weeks of supply that the Iranians had been pushing out that would have all gone to China,” he told Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo. “In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against the Iranians to keep the price down for the next 10 or 14 days as we continue this campaign.”
Tafoya is running for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s (D-Minn.) seat with the support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Senate hopeful will face former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze and former NBA player Royce White in the state’s GOP primary election on Aug. 11. Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are running in the Democratic race.
The Hill has reached out to Tafoya’s campaign for comment.
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Comment by poundkey2002.
"Less Starbucks" is the republican answer to everything from defeating Iran to buying a house.
As a senator, she'd make a great NFL reporter.
Comment by George Marchelos.
Maybe you should be quiet, piggy! How dare you try to soften this monstrous error by Trump & the Republicans? Israel wanted this. Iran was abiding by the Nuke deal until Trump squashed it, and now look! Trump is a menace to the world and needs to be arrested and put in jail.
Comment by davidagrissom.
Tafoya: "Suck it up for the war effort." You mean the war effort nobody voted for? That war effort?
Comment by roger456.
Another republican with no self-awareness of their privilege.
Comment by Robert.
The new GOP mantra…let em eat cake.
Comment by James TS.
“Whether you agree with it or not, we’re there and we’ve got to support our men and women in uniform.”
You know, just shut your brain off and support us bombing little girls.
Reply by jamesgrosser.
Supporting our troops does not require us to support an illegal and unwise war. To claim otherwise is just rank demagoguery.
Comment by Ron Gray.
Why doesn't she blame high gas prices on Biden? It's the fall back Republican response to all things things bad. Or, perhaps she should assert the gas prices are high because of US aid to Ukraine.
Comment by orchid_pop0p.
that dumb out of breath fat girl on the sidelines with her rhinestone jewelry should just go back to huffing jock strap fumes.
She's gonna lose anyway, becasu republicans just lost minnesota for a hundred years.
Comment by grt_49.
Lookup Pentagon luxury meals, Hegseth's spending spree of $93,000,000,000 exposed as Pentagon bought luxury food and high-end furniture. Look it up. And they ask for your kids to skip lunch.
Comment by Jeff Wood.
Maybe you took your last trip to Washington. I’d start looking for a real job
Reply by Robert Williams.
she's never been, except adding nothing to football broadcasts.
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