The race for Texas Railroad Commission: Bo French v. Jon Rosenthal

Austin—Bo French and Jon Rosenthal are competing this November for a six-year term on the Texas Railroad Commission, a three-member body that regulates the oil and gas industry, including drilling permits, production rules, pipeline safety oversight, and natural gas distribution rates. French, a former Tarrant County Republican Party chair, and Rosenthal, a Democratic state representative from the Houston area, could be in the state’s only statewide race with a confirmed debate. Rosenthal said the two agreed to a Dallas debate on Oct. 22, though French has not confirmed it publicly. Rosenthal, an oil-and-gas mechanical engineer turned politician, highlights climate and resilience after the 2021 winter storm that preceded 161 cold-related deaths, blaming natural gas delivery failures.