Rosenthal takes Texas Railroad Commission seat after French loses

Jon Rosenthal defeated Bo French on Tuesday to claim a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, breaking a long standing Republican majority on the three member body. The commission oversees the state's multibillion dollar oil and gas sector, a role it has held since 2005 when it stopped managing actual railroads. Rosenthal will serve a six year term, marking a rare Democratic breakthrough in the agency's history.

The race was defined less by policy differences and more by the conduct of the Republican nominee. In September, French, a former chair of the Tarrant County GOP, drew national attention for posts on X targeting South Asian American students at a University of Texas football game. He suggested their presence proved that foreigners were displacing Americans. Senator John Cornyn and other prominent Texas Republicans publicly criticized his remarks.

That incident followed a dispute in June 2025, when French asked followers on social media whether Jews or Muslims posed a greater threat to the country. He later clarified that the party respected religious freedom and had no place for antisemitism, though the initial posts had already damaged his standing among moderate voters.

French campaigned on cultural issues, promising to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives from the commission. He also pledged to limit the influence of radical Islam and the Chinese Communist Party in Texas energy markets. As a member of a family that owns an oil company in West Texas, he advocated for looser industry regulations. Rosenthal focused on practical concerns, including lowering utility rates, protecting air and water quality, and setting guidelines for new datacenter construction.

Rosenthal cited his 25 years as an oil and gas engineer to establish his credibility on energy matters. Election data from the Associated Press shows French won strong support in the Permian Basin, the core of the state's oil production. Rosenthal secured his victory through high turnout in Democratic urban centers.

In a post on X on Tuesday evening, Rosenthal described the result as a rejection of divisive politics. "I am humbled and honored by the faith placed in me by the people of Texas, who have sent the message that the politics of hate and division do not win in the Lone Star State," he wrote. He also thanked Republicans who, in his words, "chose competence versus chaos."