Amy Klobuchar Says Ending the Iran War Is Fastest Way to Cut Gas Prices
With less than two weeks to Election Day, the Democrat is making the war a cost-of-living issue against her Republican opponent.
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, who is running for governor of Minnesota, said Wednesday that ending the war in Iran is the fastest way to lower gas prices. With less than two weeks until Election Day, she is pitching the conflict to voters as a cost-of-living issue.
At the race's final debate, Klobuchar told voters she "can tell you the fastest way to bring down your gas prices, and that is to stop this war in Iran. That is it. Beginning, middle, and end."
She then went after her Republican opponent, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Klobuchar said Demuth had "blamed it on the Keystone Pipeline" at their debate earlier in the week, and then made a claim about health care costs: "Then she blamed the health care costs on Barack Obama. I don't know what will be next, maybe Thomas Jefferson." That is Klobuchar's characterization. KAXE's account of the Oct. 19 debate does not show Demuth making that statement, and it reports that Klobuchar herself blamed President Donald Trump for health care costs.
The two are running to replace Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat who is not seeking reelection. Klobuchar leads Demuth 48.8 percent to 40.6 percent in PolitiKool's polling average for the race.
Gas Prices Since the Iran War Began
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, FactCheck.org reported. The week before, regular gasoline averaged $2.937 a gallon nationally, according to Energy Information Administration weekly data. By March 9 it had reached $3.502, and on May 11 it peaked at $4.500.
The Midwest, which includes Minnesota, followed the same path. EIA's Midwest series went from $2.675 a gallon on February 23 to $4.405 on May 11, and stood at $4.145 on October 19. The national average is now $4.28 a gallon, according to PolitiKool's gas price tracker.
Weekly average retail price of regular gasoline per gallon for the weeks of Feb. 23 (before the war began Feb. 28), May 11 (the national peak) and Oct. 19, 2026. U.S. figures are from EIA's weekly U.S. regular gasoline series; Midwest figures are from EIA's weekly Midwest (PADD 2) regular gasoline series (https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=emm_epmr_pte_r20_dpg&f=w).
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, weekly U.S. and Midwest regular gasoline retail price series
How Fast Would Gas Prices Fall if the War Ended?
Whether ending the war is the "fastest way" to lower prices is Klobuchar's claim, and the record is mixed. On June 14 the U.S. and Iran reached an interim deal, mediated by Pakistan, that called for a 60-day cessation of hostilities. Both sides have since accused each other of violations, and Iran has kept attacking merchant ships.
Prices had already been coming down from the May peak before the deal: the national average was $4.475 on May 25, $4.305 on June 1 and $4.146 on June 8, EIA data show. In the first week after the deal it stood at $4.052, and by July 6 it had fallen to $3.777, a further drop of about 28 cents. Prices stayed far above where they were before the war, and they were back above $4 by late July.
Analysts expect any recovery to be slow. Skip York of Rice University's Baker Institute described pump prices as going "up like a rocket, but down like a feather." GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan said "it's probably going to still be two to three weeks before the flows of oil can normalize," FactCheck.org reported.
A governor also has no say over war policy.
Lisa Demuth's Keystone Pipeline Argument
Demuth blamed Minnesota's higher costs on government spending, the state's automatic gas-tax increase and opposition to the Keystone pipeline, Fox 9 reported. She raised Klobuchar's Keystone vote at Monday's debate. CBS Minnesota reported that Klobuchar was expected to oppose a Senate bill to approve the project in November 2014, when it failed 59-41.
Keystone XL was never built. TC Energy announced on June 9, 2021 that it had terminated the project, months after President Joe Biden revoked its permit. Crude oil is the largest single component of the pump price, making up about 51 percent of it in 2025, according to the EIA.
On health care, Demuth pointed to the state's reinsurance program, which she touted, KAXE reported of Monday's debate in Brainerd.
What Happens Next
The election is November 3. Klobuchar is betting that voters will blame the war and the White House for high fuel costs. Trump's approval on the economy stands at 29.5 percent in PolitiKool's polling average.
Demuth is betting that voters will look closer to home, at the gas tax and at spending in St. Paul.
Sources
- Amy Klobuchar, Lisa Demuth showcase plans, dissect each other's records in governor debate — MPR News — Coverage of the October 21 final debate and Klobuchar's gas-price line
- Klobuchar, Demuth face off in final Minnesota governor debate — Fox 9 — Demuth's argument blaming spending, the gas tax and Keystone opposition; Walz not seeking reelection
- Here are 4 takeaways from the first Demuth-Klobuchar debate — KAXE — The October 19 Brainerd debate, where Demuth raised the pipeline vote and touted the reinsurance program
7 more sources
- Weekly U.S. Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices — EIA — National weekly gas prices before, during and after the June interim deal; U.S. chart values
- Weekly Midwest Regular All Formulations Retail Gasoline Prices — EIA — Midwest (PADD 2) weekly gas prices, including Minnesota's region; Midwest chart values
- What Will Happen to Gasoline Prices When the Iran War Ends? — FactCheck.org — War start date and expert views on how slowly prices fall
- Conflict With Iran — Council on Foreign Relations Global Conflict Tracker — The June 14 interim deal, mediated by Pakistan, and the accusations of violations since
- Franken, Klobuchar 'No' On Keystone — CBS Minnesota — Klobuchar expected to oppose the November 2014 Keystone bill, which failed 59-41
- TC Energy confirms termination of Keystone XL Pipeline Project — TC Energy — June 9, 2021 release announcing the project's termination after the presidential permit was revoked
- Factors affecting gasoline prices — EIA — Crude oil is the largest component of the retail gasoline price, about 51% in 2025