GOP Senate candidate on rising gas prices: ‘Maybe you take one less trip to Starbucks’

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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