Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) regarding an AI-generated image that portrayed Cruz as a dog. The exchange occurred on the social media platform X, focusing on the topic of rising gas prices. Cruz criticized Newsom for high gas prices in California and accused him of mismanaging the state's economy, stating, "Gavin, you’re a clown who gave Californians $6 gas, sat idle while your state burned & chased hundreds of thousands of jobs to Texas."
The dispute began on May 21, when Newsom advised Californians to avoid Chevron gas stations during the Memorial Day weekend, suggesting that unbranded gas is equivalent to name-brand gas in quality. He included a map showing price differences between stations. Cruz countered by sharing gas prices in Texas and attributing the issue to California's energy policies.
In response to Cruz's comments, Newsom shared an AI-generated image depicting Cruz as a lap dog with a collar and a bowl of kibble, captioned "Chevron Cruz is a good boy." This image referenced Cruz's support for overturning the "Chevron deference" legal doctrine, which the Supreme Court overturned in 2024. Cruz later retaliated with his own AI-generated image of Newsom as a clown.
The Washington Examiner reached out to both Cruz and Newsom for comments on the matter.