Rosenthal takes Texas oil and gas seat after French refuses to walk back comments
The Democrat secured a victory in a contested runoff where campaign fundraising and social media posts dominated the narrative.
By Isaac Medina ·
Jon Rosenthal won the Texas Railroad Commissioner race on Tuesday, defeating Republican Bo French. With 93 percent of the vote counted, Rosenthal held a lead of 52.5 percent to French’s 45.6 percent. The position carries significant regulatory weight over the state’s energy sector, which produces more than 40 percent of United States crude oil.
The office, despite its name, does not manage railroads. Instead, the three commissioners oversee oil and gas operations. The other two seats are currently held by Republicans. Rosenthal, a state representative from Houston, spent 25 years as an oil field engineer before entering politics. French, originally from Midland, served as the Tarrant County Republican chairman.
The campaign centered less on specific energy policy and more on French’s public statements regarding immigrants, Muslims, and Jews. These comments created friction within the Republican base during a difficult election cycle for the party in Texas. Many prominent state Republicans united against French ahead of the May runoff, though he still secured the nomination.
In September, French posted on social media that University of Texas students were a problem because they appeared to be of South Asian descent. He claimed social media was exposing how many Americans had been displaced by foreigners. Several students in the photo later confirmed they were American citizens. The post drew national attention and criticism from within the GOP.
Senator John Cornyn announced he would not vote for French after the September post. Cornyn had lost his primary to Ken Paxton earlier in the year. Karl Rove and other Texas Republicans also declared they would not support French. Despite the backlash, French raised more than $700,000 following the incident. Rosenthal raised over $500,000 during the same period.
French’s platform had previously called for removing diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. He used the phrase stop the Islamic invasion of Texas and pledged support for life and the nuclear family. Rosenthal’s victory marks the first time a Democrat has won the railroad commissioner race since 1990.
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