Nevada is experiencing record-high gasoline prices that far exceed those in many other states, a situation many analysts attribute largely to factors stemming from California rather than overseas conflicts such as the Iran War. On Labor Day, the average gas price in Nevada reached nearly $5 per gallon, surpassing the previous Labor Day record of $3.82 set in 2012, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford has linked rising prices to the Iran War, highlighting a gas price of $5.69 at a Reno station in a recent social media post. While international tensions in the Middle East have contributed to global fuel price increases, experts point to Nevada’s reliance on California’s dwindling gasoline supply as a more immediate cause of the state’s elevated costs.

Approximately 88 percent of Nevada’s gasoline comes from California through existing pipeline infrastructure. Over the past year, California has seen the closure of two major refineries, reducing its total refinery capacity from about 2 million barrels per day in 2017 to less than 1.5 million barrels per day today. These refinery shutdowns are largely tied to deliberate policy decisions by California's Democratic leadership aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2045. As a result, California has imposed stricter regulations on fossil fuel production, including gasoline refining.

This shift in California’s energy policy has led to significantly higher gasoline prices in both California and neighboring Nevada. For comparison, Texas reported an average gas price of $3.67 per gallon on Labor Day, which is notably lower than Nevada’s prices—even those from a year ago, before the escalation of the Iran conflict. Nevada prices have surpassed Texas despite the latter having no direct exposure to the same refinery constraints.

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has openly criticized California’s energy policies and their impact on Nevada. He has established the Nevada Fuel Resiliency Committee, a body focused on strategies to lessen Nevada’s dependency on California gasoline supplies. Among potential solutions under consideration is the Western Gateway Pipeline, which could diversify fuel imports and improve supply resilience in the state.

In contrast, Ford’s campaign has shown alignment with California Governor Gavin Newsom, raising questions about his approach to addressing the state's gas price crisis. Given that Nevada’s gasoline challenges are tied closely to regional dynamics, Lombardo’s focus on local and regional infrastructure and policy changes is seen by some as offering a more practical path to stabilizing fuel costs for Nevada residents.