MADISON, WI — When gas prices fell last winter, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany took credit. Now that they have climbed to record highs, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor says they are beyond his control.
In a December statement, Tiffany said that because of "our work to unleash American energy," gas prices had fallen to their lowest levels in nearly five years, with Wisconsin drivers paying under $2.60 a gallon.
A month later, he posted a selfie outside The Bear gas station in Glidden, waving at a sign that listed regular unleaded at $2.48 and diesel at $3.49.
"Gas under $2.50 a gallon in Glidden, WI this weekend. Even CNN reports that 2026 is on track to be the cheapest year for gas since 2020. Promises made, promises kept," Tiffany wrote in the Jan. 12 post on X, which has been viewed about 4.4 million times.
The numbers have since moved sharply in the other direction.
Diesel set an all-time state record of $6.61 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA data.
Wisconsin's average price for a gallon of regular gas hit $4.42 on Tuesday.
It's even higher in places such as Iron County, Wisconsin, where the current average is $4.64.
That is $2.70 more than the price on the sign behind Tiffany in January.
The record for regular gas in Wisconsin is $4.92, recorded on June 12, 2022.
Asked on PBS Wisconsin's "Here & Now" whether he regretted the post, Tiffany said prices had gone down at the time and later rose because of instability in the Middle East and Iran.
"It's outside of our control," Tiffany said, adding that the answer is more domestic energy production and making the country energy independent.
Democrats have seized on the post. The campaign of Democratic nominee David Crowley, the Milwaukee County executive, blamed Tiffany's votes on the Iran war for the spike in a Sept. 17 statement.
"MAGA Congressman Tom Tiffany has contributed to the pain Wisconsinites are feeling at the pump with record-setting gas costs that are a direct result of his votes to continue the war in Iran," Crowley said.
Crowley has proposed repealing Wisconsin's minimum markup law, which sets a floor on how much retailers must mark up fuel.
Wisconsin voters will choose their next governor on Nov. 3.
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