Evans' Gas Price Blame Game Fails to Hold Up to Expert Analysis

Colorado Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans has been pointing fingers at state Democrats for high gasoline prices in his district, but experts and numbers say otherwise.

In an August event in Thornton, Evans claimed that decisions made by Colorado Democrats have led to the higher gas prices, citing that fuel prices in Colorado are higher than the national average.

However, according to AAA, while Colorado's gas prices were $4.35 per gallon on Friday, compared to $4.30 nationally, diesel fuel was 25 cents cheaper per gallon than the national average. Additionally, over a dozen states had higher gasoline prices than Colorado.

AAA spokesperson Skyler McKinley explained that gas prices fluctuate due to various factors, including global crude oil prices and transportation costs, rather than state and local regulations.

Grier Bailey, who leads the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, also stated that wholesale gas prices are predominantly determined by the price of crude oil. He added that while state oil and gas regulations may play some role, they are not the sole determining factor.