Jim Wright, the chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, faces Bo French in the Republican runoff as Wright seeks his second term on the agency that oversees the state’s oil and gas industry.
Provided by Campaigns for Bo French and Jim Wright
AUSTIN – Early voting ends Friday in one of Texas Republicans’ most contentious statewide runoffs, a battle that has become about far more than oil and gas regulation.
Incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright and former Tarrant County GOP Chairman Bo French are fighting for the GOP nomination ahead of Tuesday’s runoff. The winner advances to face Democratic nominee Jon Rosenthal in November.
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The race has turned into a high-profile fight inside the state party, pitting top state leaders and establishment donors behind Wright against French’s hard-line conservative allies.
Abbott makes late push for Wright
Gov. Greg Abbott has jumped into the race’s final days with campaign appearances for Wright in San Antonio and Houston, sharpening the contrast between the two Republicans.
Abbott praised Wright’s experience overseeing the state agency that regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry and argued he is best positioned to protect the state’s energy dominance.
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“With Jim Wright’s leadership, Texas will remain number one in oil and gas production,” Abbott said during a campaign stop this week.
The governor’s involvement adds to an already formidable lineup behind Wright. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows have also endorsed him, along with fellow Railroad Commissioners Christi Craddick and Wayne Christian.
French has dismissed those endorsements as establishment politics, arguing Republican voters want a more confrontational conservative voice focused on cutting regulations and fighting DEI initiatives.
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Money race intensifies
The runoff has also become a high-dollar battle fueled by major Republican donors and outside political groups.
Wright recently received a $500,000 contribution from Texas Sands PAC, a group funded by casino magnate and Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson and her family.
Wright linked the donation to shared support for Israel and opposition to what he described as French’s “anti-Semitic rhetoric.”
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French blasted the contribution in a fundraising appeal, accusing Wright of aligning with the casino lobby and “liberal Republicans.”
Campaign finance reports show Wright raised more than $1.9 million between Feb. 22 and May 16. French reported roughly $1.4 million during the same stretch.
Much of French’s support came from political groups tied to influential West Texas conservative billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, who have backed hard-line conservative causes and candidates across Texas politics.
Texas does not cap political donations to statewide candidates, allowing the race to attract large contributions from wealthy donors and aligned political groups.
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Culture-war fight
What began as a contest over railroad commission leadership has increasingly turned into a culture-war-driven fight over the direction of the Texas GOP.
Wright and his allies have repeatedly highlighted French’s inflammatory comments and social media posts, many unrelated to oil and gas policy.
French has drawn criticism for his remarks about Muslims, Jews, immigrants, gay people and others that critics described as extremist, racist or antisemitic. He came under scrutiny last year after posting a social media poll asking whether Jews or Muslims were the “biggest threat to America.”
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Patrick publicly condemned the comments at the time, saying “antisemitism and religious bigotry have no place in Texas” and calling on French to resign as Tarrant County GOP chairman. He did not do so.
Wright has leaned into those attacks in the runoff’s closing weeks, portraying himself as a steady industry regulator while criticizing French as a political provocateur disconnected from the commission’s mission.
French has said Texans want “an unapologetic warrior” willing to challenge Republican leadership.