Abbott Backed Wright, But French Wins Railroad Runoff

Bo French defeated incumbent Jim Wright in the Republican primary runoff for the Texas Railroad Commission, overcoming a campaign in which Gov. Greg Abbott warned that French would "wreck" the state's oil and gas industry [1, 2]. Abbott had actively campaigned for Wright, arguing that Texas could not afford to have someone as inexperienced as French overseeing the sector, which is the commission's primary responsibility despite its name [1].

Key takeaways

• Bo French won the GOP runoff despite Gov. Greg Abbott campaigning for his opponent, Jim Wright [1, 2].
• Abbott claimed French was inexperienced and would "wreck" the state's oil and gas production miracle [1].
• French campaigned on culture war issues like DEI and "Sharia law" rather than regulatory policy [1, 2].
• French will face Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal in the November general election [1, 2].

Governor's warning against an 'inexperienced' challenger

In the days leading up to the runoff, Abbott appeared in Deer Park to support Wright, the incumbent chairman [1]. The governor told voters that French, the former chair of the Tarrant County GOP, lacked the necessary background for the role [1]. "His primary opponent doesn't know anything about oil and gas," Abbott said, adding that French's agenda would "wreck the miracle that we have in producing more oil and gas than ever before" [1]. While French has worked as an independent oil prospector and energy trader, he has never served as a regulator, unlike Wright [1].

The race drew significant financial support from megadonors on both sides. Wright received backing from real estate titan Harlan Crow and casino mogul Miriam Adelson, as well as endorsements from Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows [1, 2]. French was supported by Attorney General Ken Paxton and oil magnates Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, whose political action committee spent about $1 million on his campaign [1, 2].

A runoff defined by culture war rhetoric

While Wright focused on his record in office, French's campaign prioritized culture war topics that observers noted fall outside the railroad commission's regulatory scope [1]. Jon Taylor, a political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, noted that French discussed the "Islamic invasion of Texas," DEI, the Chinese government, and abortion [1]. French also accused Wright of allowing "Sharia law" within the agency and nicknamed him "Jihadi Jim" [2].

These tactics proved effective in a tight race where French nearly tied with Wright in the first round of voting in March [1]. Barry Smitherman, a former commission chairman, suggested the closeness reflected a dynamic in Texas Republican politics where candidates worry more about opponents to their right than about Democrats [1].

Why it matters

The Texas Railroad Commission oversees the state's massive oil and gas industry, which contributes roughly 10% to 12% to the state budget and funds the Rainy Day Fund [1, 3]. The three-commissioner panel manages a $593 million budget and faces upcoming challenges regarding fluctuating oil prices, industry layoffs, and concerns about wastewater management [2].