Rosenthal Leads Texas Railroad Commission Race After French Backlash

With nearly 60% of ballots counted on Tuesday night, Rosenthal had 56% of the vote, compared with about 42% for French and nearly 2% for Libertarian Arthur DiBianca. Rosenthal declared victory, though the race had not been called by the Associated Press in one account of the results.

Rosenthal, a Houston-area state representative and former oil field engineer, would be the first Democrat on the three-member commission since 1990. He said voters had rejected “the politics of hate.”

French faced criticism from Republicans after a social media post about students of color at a University of Texas football game. He characterized the students as “foreigners” displacing Americans at Texas universities, prompting party members to condemn the post as racist.

Rosenthal campaigned on his industry and legislative experience, emphasizing pollution, abandoned wells and energy costs. His proposals include targeting repeat polluters, improving emergency preparedness at natural gas facilities, charging a fee for underground wastewater injection and making the commission’s work on orphan wells public.

French highlighted his family’s oil business background and pledged to reduce regulation and energy prices. His campaign also focused on immigration and abortion, issues outside the commission’s responsibilities. If Rosenthal takes office, he is likely to be outvoted on many matters by the commission’s two other members. The commission also faces decisions on oil and gas wastewater storage and has a budget exceeding $500 million.

Rosenthal’s Lead Offers a Break With Texas Oil Commission Control

Texas voters appeared poised to send a Democrat to the Railroad Commission for the first time since 1990, with Jon Rosenthal leading Bo French as ballots were counted on November 3. Rosenthal declared victory and said the result rejected “the politics of hate.”

The race turned sharply after French’s post about students of color at a University of Texas football game, in which he portrayed them as “foreigners” displacing Americans. Republicans condemned the post as racist. French’s campaign also centered on immigration and abortion, subjects beyond the commission’s remit.

Rosenthal instead put the regulator’s work at the center of his campaign. The former oil field engineer proposed pursuing repeat polluters, strengthening emergency preparedness at natural gas facilities, charging for underground wastewater injection and disclosing the commission’s work on abandoned wells.

With nearly 60% of ballots counted, Rosenthal had 56%, French about 42% and Libertarian Arthur DiBianca nearly 2%. The commission oversees Texas’s oil and gas industry, and Rosenthal could face a 2-1 disadvantage on many decisions. Its responsibilities include addressing wastewater from oil and gas operations, amid a budget exceeding $500 million.

Texas Oil Regulator Race Turns on French Controversy and Industry Stakes

Jon Rosenthal’s lead in the Texas Railroad Commission race could put a Democrat on the oil and gas regulator, an absence dating to 1990. Returns covering about 60% of votes on November 3 showed Rosenthal at 56% against Bo French’s 42%, while Libertarian Arthur DiBianca had nearly 2%. Rosenthal declared victory, though one account said the race had not yet been called by the Associated Press.

French promised to cut regulation and lower energy prices, drawing on his family’s oil business background. But the campaign was overshadowed by backlash to his social media post about students of color at a University of Texas football game. Some Republicans condemned it as racist.

Rosenthal, a former oil field engineer, presented himself as focused on industry matters, including energy costs, pollution and abandoned wells. His proposals include a fee for underground wastewater injection and tighter scrutiny of repeat polluters and natural gas facilities.

The commission regulates Texas’s oil and gas industry, and a new member would join a three-person body where Rosenthal may be outvoted 2-1 on many issues. The commission faces decisions on wastewater storage and oversees a budget exceeding $500 million. French also emphasized immigration and abortion in a race for an office whose responsibilities do not include those issues.