Paxton-backed French ousts incumbent in Texas Railroad Commission GOP runoff
Key takeaways
- French, a rancher and mineral owner, was backed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and GOP donors like Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, according to Houston Public Media.
- Wright was first elected in 2020 and is one of three commissioners on the agency regulating the oil and gas industry.
- French has cast Wright as a Democrat Megadonor and as Jihadi Jim, making inflammatory remarks about Islam and immigration on the trail.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
French, a rancher and mineral owner, was backed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) and GOP donors like Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, according to Houston Public Media. The incumbent, meanwhile, had endorsements from Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) in addition to the financial backing of major GOP donors like Miriam Adelson and Harlan Crow
Wright was first elected in 2020 and is one of three commissioners on the agency regulating the oil and gas industry. Despite its name, the Texas Railroad Commission has not regulated parts of the railroad industry since 2005.
French has cast Wright as a Democrat Megadonor and as Jihadi Jim, making inflammatory remarks about Islam and immigration on the trail.