Editor’s note: To help readers learn more about primary candidates, The Texas Tribune is sharing background information on top candidates. In particularly crowded races, we focused on candidates with political experience or demonstrably competitive campaigns, using benchmarks such as fundraising, endorsements and online presence. For a full list of candidates, view our primary ballot page. For more information on the primaries and the voting process, check out our guides and news coverage here.
About the elected seat: The Railroad Commission, one of Texas’ oldest regulatory agencies, oversees a constellation of energy infrastructure across the state. Its elected commissioners and staff are tasked with regulating oil and gas production, natural gas facilities, hydrogen, pipelines, coal and uranium surface mining. The agency has not regulated railroads since 2005. With several field offices across Texas, the commission inspects facilities, enforces penalties and reports to the Texas Legislature. More recently, the agency has also taken on regulating hydrogen storage and carbon dioxide injection and storage, as companies look to create alternate sources of energy and take advantage of federal financial incentives to recapture carbon dioxide that contributes to climate change.
What’s at stake: Far and away, Texas commands U.S. oil and gas. The industry drills more oil and other hydrocarbons than all the other states combined. This massive industry employs nearly half a million Texans and pays billions of dollars to local and state coffers. And it’s changing. Seeking to become more profitable, oil companies are evolving their business models to expand their ability to deliver natural gas — which powers electricity generation — to data centers. Oil companies are also set to build facilities designed to inject carbon dioxide underground to reduce air pollution. The commission will oversee and regulate these ventures. And as Texas becomes more extreme-weather prone, the agency is also responsible for ensuring that natural gas facilities are prepared to avoid shortages or incidents that could affect the state’s power grid and lead to widespread power outages.
Candidates at a glance:
The Railroad Commission of Texas Jim Wright
Republican, incumbent
💰 Campaign finance:
💰 Major donors this cycle:
Texas Oil and Gas Association Good Government Committee, industry trade group — $25,000. Vicki Hollub, President and CEO of Occidental Energy, or Oxy — $25,000 Diamondback Energy TX PAC — $10,000 Chevron Employees PAC, a political and lobbying arm of Chevron — $10,000
Experience:
President of an oilfield waste services company
First elected as Railroad Commissioner in 2020, taking office in 2021
Career oil field worker
Political ideology:
A lifelong conservative, according to his campaign website.
Policy stances:
Wants to cut red tape, ending what he said are “unnecessary federal delays” for energy infrastructure, including pipelines and liquified natural gas terminals
Initiated an effort to design oilfield waste rules
Promotes emerging technology, such as geothermal energy, carbon capture and hydrogen storage
Believes in landowners rights, and that operators on their property should “follow the rules” regarding land remediation, such as cleaning up possible contamination of soil and groundwater
In the news:
Endorsements:
Gov. Greg Abbott
Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, chair of the Texas House Energy Resources Committee
Fort Bend Conservatives
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker
Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth
How to contact or learn more
info@jimwrightfortexas.com
Campaign photo
💰 Campaign finance:
💰 Major donors this cycle:
Schuyler Wight, private landowner in West Texas — $5,000 Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas attorney, former Texas Railroad Commission candidate, now a District Attorney in West Texas, — $8,000 in-kind donation Smokey Briggs, business owner and newspaper publisher — $748
Experience:
Decades of working experience within the oil and gas industry
Expertise in drilling, well control, blowout recovery, and risk management, both onshore and offshore, according to his campaign
Former candidate for the Railroad Commission
Frequently educates people about the commission’s work on social media, where he’s amassed a larger following than his competitors, with more than 150,000 followers across multiple platforms
Political ideology:
Conservative-Libertarian
Small government advocate
Highly critical of the railroad commission’s approach toward regulating the oil and gas industry — which he argues is lax.
Policy stances:
Charge a tax of 10 cents a barrel for every barrel of oilfield wastewater, known as produced water, injected underground commercially; At 30 million barrels a day, it’ll generate $3 million
Revamping statewide produced water injection policies, with a goal to reduce the volume overall
Using produced water to cool data centers, among other recycling methods
Supports more well-plugging policies, including holding oil and gas operators accountable
In the news:
Endorsements:
Brian Sprague, a congressional candidate for Texas’ District12, which encompasses parts of North Texas
How to contact or learn more:
hawkins.dunlap@yahoo.com
Campaign photo Katherine Culbert
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
💰 Major donors this cycle:
Sarah Stogner, an oil and gas attorney and West Texas district attorney — $3,850 Wise County Democratic Party — $200 Bandera County Democratic — $200
Experience:
Career engineer with a background on safety, industrial processes and accountability on complex energy operations
Has provided expert testimony to the Texas Railroad Commission
Political ideology:
Formerly a Democrat, Culbert is running as a Republican in the 2026 primaries
Has said statewide leadership “must rise above partisan expectations”
Policy stances:
A push for lower rates and a “cost-conscious” energy system by ensuring natural gas facilities prepare their facilities for extreme weather conditions and deliver natural gas
Wants the commission to have a concrete preparedness plan to regulate the rapidly evolving energy industry
More transparency, clear oversight, and responsible environmental stewardship
In the news:
Texas candidate took money from Democrats, then flipped to GOP
Endorsements:
No recent endorsements.
How to contact or learn more:
info@katherine4texas.com
Campaign photo
💰 Campaign finance:
💰 Major donors this cycle:
Miles Boldrick, owner of Statewide Minerals Company — $25,000 Marcia French, president of French oil company — $20,000 Richard Moncrief of Moncrief Oil International — $15,000
Experience:
Chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party
Decades-long investor in the energy sector
Has a family-owned oil business in Midland
Political ideology:
French is hardline conservative who describes himself as a MAGA Republican
A high-ranking political activist, French has led the push to shift the party further right
Has drawn sharp criticism and calls to step down as county chair following a poll in which he asked his social media followers whether Jews or Muslims were a bigger threat to the country.
Policy stances:
As commissioner, he wants to stop what he refers to as an Islamic invasion of Texas from stealing oil and gas resources
Has pledged to end Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, funding and practices at the Texas Railroad Commission
Has called to end Chinese government influence in the oil industry
Has said he will promote more partnerships between the U.S. government and Israel, which he refers to as a key ally
Vocal proponent of “pro-life” efforts and emphasizing the nuclear family, campaigning to establish a “pro-family credentialing program” for oil and gas operators
In the news:
Endorsements:
Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, a fiscal conservative group championing pro-family government
American Jewish Conservatives, a nonprofit group advancing religious and conservative causes
How to contact or learn more:
info@bofrench.com
Republican Jim Matlock is also running for the seat.
Campaign photo
💰 Campaign finance:
💰 Major donors this cycle:
Texas State Senator Carol Alvarado — $1,000 Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones — $3,000 Texas State Representative Eugene Wu — $1,000
Experience:
Served as state representative in the Texas Legislature for four terms
Career oil field mechanical engineer with more than two decades of experience
Political ideology:
A supporter of U.S. energy independence and efficiency, and lower carbon emissions, Rosenthal said he believes former President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law helped the country advance its energy needs
Rosenthal said that President Donald Trump’s administration is doing the bidding of oil and gas industry executives, adding that the Railroad Commission has taken a similar approach. He said the oil and gas industry is being regulated by people from the industry who now serve in government.
The Railroad Commission, Rosenthal said, has not sufficiently enforced its regulations. The agency should apply existing laws, measure the results and work with the Texas Legislature on modifications, he said.
Policy stances:
Hiring community liaisons for the Texas Railroad Commission in every region, and expand language access to include Spanish and Vietnamese, among others
A 24/7 hotline for Texans managed by the railroad commission that includes the ability to text, track numbers for cases and resolution timelines
More affordable gas rates by scrutinizing utility companies
Requirements to capture gas, with enforcement timelines and support for smaller operators
End flaring and venting practices to dispose of natural gas except in emergencies and adding modern leak detection and repair requirements
Repurposing wells that no longer produce oil and gas for new industries, such as geothermal and carbon dioxide storage
Augmenting well-plugging efforts and making public dashboards available for the public
No new permits for companies that violate rules
In the news:
Endorsements:
How to contact or learn more:
info@jonrosenthaltx.com
8524 Hwy 6 N., #340 Houston TX 77095
Disclosure: Texas Oil & Gas Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.