Bo French Unseats Texas Rail Commissioner Incumbent by 1.2 Points as MAGA Donors Flex Muscle
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 27
Bo French Unseats Texas Rail Commissioner Incumbent by 1.2 Points as MAGA Donors Flex Muscle
14 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 27
Bo French won the Republican nomination for Texas Railroad Commissioner by 1.2 percentage points, knocking off incumbent Jim Wright in a race seen as a test of the Texas GOP's direction.
French prevailed despite Wright's endorsements from Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows, plus support from major oil-and-gas donors including Miriam Adelson.
More than $1 million in TV ads from West Texas billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks helped power French, who centered his campaign on Trump, MAGA and attacks on DEI and regulation rather than the agency's technical role.
The three-member commission regulates Texas oil and natural gas, and the Republican nominee is expected to be heavily favored in November against Democrat Jon Rosenthal.
What are the global economic risks when a top oil regulator is chosen based on cultural debates instead of energy policy?