House Democratic campaign arm targets GOP candidate over gas prices

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) launched a billboard in Kansas targeting Republican House candidate Amanda Adkins over rising gas prices in an apparent attempt to flip the script on the issue. 

Politico was the first outlet to report on the billboard located in Kansas’ 3rd Congressional District, which is represented by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.). 

The billboard reads, “Pain at the pump? Amanda Adkins opposes has tax cuts.” 

The district’s House race, which will likely be between Davids and Adkins, has recently been defined by the debate over gas prices and the gas tax. 

Davids has called for suspending the federal gas tax in an effort to decrease gas prices, which have skyrocketed in recent months. In March, Davids ran a radio ad highlighting the issue and hitting Adkins for not supporting a gas tax holiday. 

Adkins’ campaign called the federal gas tax holiday “political theater” in a statement to The Hill.

“Kansans are paying almost $4 per gallon at the pump and an extra $5,000 per year on goods and services,” the statement read.

“Kansas families want relief, not a publicity stunt. As of March 8, the day Sharice Davids voted against American energy independence, gas prices were up $0.55 from the past week. Removing the $0.18 federal tax still leaves Kansans paying too much at the pump. Sharice doesn’t want to face voters with her record of catastrophic inflation and killing American energy independence.”

The National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee (NRCC) fired back against the billboard in a statement to The Hill on Monday. 

“Kansans know Sharice Davids and Joe Biden’s anti-energy policies caused the record-high prices they are paying at the pump,” said NRCC spokeswoman Maggie Abboud. 

Gas prices have become a political sticking point in the midterm election campaign, with Republicans largely going on the offense on the issue. 

The Biden administration announced a one-time release of 30 million barrels followed by an average daily release of 1 million barrels over the next six months — or about 180 million barrels overall.

Meanwhile, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has spoken out against the idea of suspending the federal gas taxes, arguing that it will not help consumers in the long term. Pelosi has instead floated measures like rebates or direct payments to consumers as a means of providing financial relief in the face of rising prices.

“How do we help people directly? If you’re going to have to pay for it and you don’t want it to come out of the Trust Fund, something could be a rebate card or direct payments. And those are the things that are being considered,” Pelosi said last month.