State Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, is taking aim at incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn only weeks before the Republican U.S. Senate primary runoff election in Texas.
In a report from The Bulwark on Republican sentiment on soaring gas prices caused by President Donald Trump’s ongoing war in Iran, Cornyn, R-TX, said the hike in gas is a “small price to pay” to continue the war.
“If the American people understood,” Cornyn said, “they would certainly agree.”
The comment comes only weeks after Cornyn opposed Talarico’s plan to suspend the federal gas and diesel tax as a way to help Americans weather the storm at the gas pump.
“After 40 years in public office, John Cornyn still doesn’t understand that working Texans are drowning because DC politicians like him are driving up the cost of everything,” said Talarico campaign spokesperson J.T. Ennis in a news release. “This is exactly what we’re running against: a broken, corrupt political system in Washington that starts foreign wars and drives up gas prices then tells the American people they don’t know what’s best for their families.”
Cornyn is set to face Attorney General Ken Paxton in a May 26 runoff. The winner of that contest will face Talarico in the November 3 General Election.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Texas Senate race heats up over Cornyn’s gas price comment
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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