A recent Politico report (“Newsom’s gas price gambit is working”) grabbed our attention when it claimed that Governor Newsom’s unproven narrative blaming oil companies for high gas prices is sticking with voters.

Citing a poll conducted by Slingshot Strategies, Politico claimed that “all the attention on price gouging has lodged itself in voters’ minds.”

One problem: that’s not what the poll says.

Indeed, the survey question asks: “Which policies do you think best explain California’s higher gas prices?” and – aside from the governor’s unsupported price gouging claims – offers a list of potential explanations, including the state’s gas tax, unique blend of gasoline, high costs of doing business, restrictions on oil production and refining capacities, environmental regulations, and lack of competition among gas stations.

Just 35% of voters agreed that “price gouging by oil companies” was to blame for high gas prices in California, which means a strong majority – 65% – rejected Newsom’s false talking point.

Notably, the poll gave voters the opportunity to select two explanations from the list, and nearly two-thirds still didn’t choose Newsom’s preferred (and unsubstantiated) narrative despite him repeating it at every opportunity.

That’s hardly the sign of a talking point that works.

In the meantime, back in the real world of facts and economics, the drivers of California’s high gas prices have never been a mystery.

As economists Lawrence J. McQuillan of the Independent Institute and Robert J. Michaels of Cal State Fullerton state in a new report:

“The policy choices of politicians, regulators, and environmental lobbyists drive gasoline prices higher in California, not monopolistic behavior of producers. Higher gasoline taxes, stricter environmental standards, and unique fuel island effects are the culprits, and they hurt low-income families disproportionately … Only policy fixes, not political grandstanding, will bring relief to consumers.”

For years, the governor has chosen to play politics with energy policies in the Golden State, pushing a false talking point instead of pursuing market solutions to high gas prices.

Fortunately, his constituents aren’t buying it.