Bo French Wins Texas Railroad Commission Primary
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- Bo French won the Republican runoff for the Texas Railroad Commission with 50.6% of the vote, beating incumbent Jim Wright (49.4%).
- Bo French received major financial backing from far‑right Texas oil donors, including $375,000 from the Texas Freedom Fund PAC and $25,000 personal contribution from Farris Wilks.
- Jim Wright was supported by Gov. Greg Abbott, fellow commissioners, and oil‑industry PACs such as Chevron, Apache, and ExxonMobil, as well as executive Kelcy Warren.
- Bo French has publicly advocated for deporting 100 million people and for openly embracing Islamophobia, positions condemned by the watchdog group Commission Shift Action.
- Commission Shift Action highlighted that French’s rhetoric distracts from pressing Texas energy issues like over 7,500 orphaned wells, hidden radioactive waste, and flaring‑related health impacts.
- Jon Rosenthal, a Jewish state representative and engineer, will oppose French in the November general election, accusing French of “grotesque racist, anti‑Semitic, and Islamaphobic” rhetoric.
- Greg Abbott initially warned French’s agenda could “wreck” Texas oil and gas but later congratulated French, indicating intra‑party tension over the race.
Why it matters: The victory hands the oil‑backed, far‑right candidate control of Texas’s most influential energy regulator, amplifying industry‑friendly policies and sidelining environmental priorities such as orphaned‑well remediation and flaring health risks, while progressive challenger Jon Rosenthal and watchdog groups lose a key platform to contest French’s extremist agenda.
