California gas prices drop by a half-penny

"I think the worst is in the rearview mirror right now and that between Halloween and Election Day California will be back to where we were before the spike," Cinquegrana said.

Chevron officials did not return calls for comment.

Several lawmakers have called for investigations and hearings to determine whether the price surge was the result of manipulation by oil companies.

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Associated Press writer Jason Dearen in San Francisco contributed to this report.