AUSTIN — Tarrant County GOP chair Bo French on Wednesday launched his campaign to serve on the Texas Railroad Commission, the state agency that oversees the state’s oil and gas industry.
French is running against Jim Wright, who serves as the chairman of the commission, and who is seeking a second term after he was elected in 2020. The Republican primary will be held on March 3, 2026.
The Texas Railroad Commission has three commissioners who serve six-year terms. The seats rotate in elections every 2 years.
Wright’s campaign did not respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday morning.
Political Points
In the social media post announcing his decision to run, French said that “this will be the best way that I can defend Texas, stop the Islamic invasion, and defeat the left.”
It’s unclear how exactly serving as railroad commissioner would allow French to stop people who are Muslim from living in Texas.
French did not respond to a phone call and did not immediately provide answers to a list of questions texted to him.
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French has made news in recent months for incendiary and racist social media posts. Over the summer, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called on him to resign after French posted a social media poll asking whether Muslims or Jews posed the “biggest threat to America.”
French, who has served as the Tarrant County GOP chair since the fall of 2023, did not resign following the criticism, but he did delete the poll and later said in a social media post saying he regretted posting it.
Patrick’s political consultant, Allen Blakemore, did not respond to an email seeking comment on French’s campaign.
State Rep. Jon Rosenthal of Houston is the only Democrat candidate to announce their run ahead of the March 2026 primaries.
Rosenthal said in a statement that Texans are tired of “loud voices spreading hate and division while ignoring the real issues.”
“I’m in this race to keep our lights on in the next severe storm, to lower our energy costs, and to protect our communities,” he said.