A Famous Golfer Speaks Up
You might not expect a professional golfer to weigh in on America’s energy fight. But Phil Mickelson did exactly that this week. The six-time major champion responded to a post on X by user Daniel Barker that took aim at California Governor Gavin Newsom and called on President Trump to step in on energy policy. The post read:
“@ENERGY @POTUS please save us from the total moron @CAgovernor.”
Mickelson replied with a single prayer hands emoji. Short answer. But the message was clear enough.
🙏
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) March 10, 2026
Mickelson has been vocal on this stuff for years. He has pushed hard for expanded domestic oil production and has specifically championed the restart of offshore platforms near Santa Barbara operated by Sable Offshore Corp.
“Sable Offshore is a win for EVERYONE,” he has written on social media.
He believes reopening those platforms would boost domestic supply and lower fuel costs for everyday Americans. The Trump administration agrees. It is weighing whether to invoke the Defense Production Act to get those platforms running again.
What Is Actually Happening in California
Here is the short version. California is running its oil industry into the ground. The state has piled so many regulations and costs on refineries that they are shutting down or leaving. Four decades ago, more than 40 refineries operated in California. The state is now on pace to have just seven by the end of 2026, due to high operating and regulatory compliance costs.
Newsom has pushed a program called “Cap-and-Invest,” which forces energy producers to buy permits to emit greenhouse gases. Industry groups argue the updates would heap billions in additional costs, potentially hiking gas prices by over a dollar per gallon and forcing more refinery closures.
Even some California Democrats have joined the chorus of critics asking state regulators to rethink the plan.
Why This Is Nevada’s Problem
Here is where it gets personal for Nevadans. We are not just spectators in this fight. We are directly in the line of fire.
Nevada gets 88 percent of its gasoline from California. When California drives its refineries out of business, we feel it at the pump. Nevadans already pay the sixth-highest pump prices in the country, with the average above $3.60 a gallon.
And it could get a lot worse. Nevada gas could hit $7 a gallon if California keeps on the path it is on.
Governor Joe Lombardo has not been sitting still. He sent a pointed letter to Newsom warning him that policy decisions that significantly affect California refineries could also disrupt fuel supplies for nearby states.
Lombardo has also formed a Fuel Resiliency Committee to look at long-term options for diversifying Nevada’s supply. Sinclair Gas has announced it is evaluating a multiphased pipeline expansion from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas that would supply as many as 150,000 barrels per day, with an early phase targeting 35,000 barrels daily by 2028. That would help. But 2028 is not today.
Critics of Newsom’s approach point out that California’s refining network also supplies fuel to 41 military bases, raising national security concerns alongside the economic ones.
The Bigger Picture
The contrast here is stark. While President Trump has worked to expand domestic production and drive down fuel costs nationally, Newsom is pushing in the exact opposite direction. And because Nevada is essentially a fuel island with no port access and limited pipeline options, we absorb the hit from every bad decision Sacramento makes.
This is a limited-government issue at its core. When one state’s regulators can make life more expensive for millions of people in neighboring states, something is broken. Nevadans did not vote for Gavin Newsom. But we are paying his tab.
What You Can Do
Phil Mickelson used his platform to say what a lot of people are thinking. You don’t need a Twitter following of millions to do the same thing.
Contact Governor Lombardo’s office and urge him to keep the pressure on Newsom. Support efforts to diversify Nevada’s fuel supply. And pay attention to where your candidates for governor and attorney general stand on energy policy. In 2026, it will matter more than ever.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
