Former Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French is projected to become the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission after narrowly defeating incumbent commissioner Jim Wright in Tuesday night’s primary runoff election.
According to unofficial results from the Texas Secretary of State released shortly after midnight, French secured 50.71 percent of the vote, while Wright received 49.29 percent. Early voting results had shown French with a wider advantage, but the margin tightened steadily as election night returns were counted.
The closely watched runoff followed an already competitive March primary in which Wright earned 32.1 percent of the vote and French finished just behind with 31.75 percent, forcing the two Republicans into a head-to-head contest.
Following the victory, French emphasized his campaign’s focus on protecting the state’s oil and gas industry and advancing conservative priorities ahead of the November general election, where he is expected to face Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal of Houston.
The runoff campaign became increasingly contentious in recent weeks, with French centering much of his message on criticism of Wright’s past associations and political contributions. French accused Wright of maintaining ties to organizations connected to Saudi Arabia and criticized permits approved during Wright’s tenure that involved Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation. French argued the approvals reflected broader concerns about foreign influence and regulatory oversight in Texas energy policy.
Wright’s campaign rejected those allegations, noting that the project in question had been permitted years before Wright entered public office and had previously been praised by Texas leaders as a major economic development victory for the state.
French also attacked Wright over past donations to Democratic candidates, including nearly $46,000 contributed to former Democratic state Rep. Abel Herrero. Wright defended those donations by arguing that some Democrats had historically supported Texas oil and gas interests despite party differences.
Throughout the runoff, French framed the election as a choice between conservative Republican leadership and a candidate he claimed did not align consistently with Republican values. Wright, meanwhile, attempted to portray himself as an experienced regulator focused on industry oversight rather than partisan disputes.
Another flashpoint in the race involved a $500,000 contribution Wright received from the pro-gambling Texas Sands PAC, a political committee backed by casino interests connected to businesswoman Miriam Adelson. French questioned why gambling advocates would invest heavily in a statewide regulatory race unrelated to gaming legislation.
Wright countered that the Railroad Commission has no authority over gambling policy and argued that the criticism reflected broader attacks that he and several conservative leaders viewed as inflammatory. Wright also condemned remarks and rhetoric from French that critics described as divisive and anti-Semitic.
The campaign additionally featured disputes over diversity initiatives, environmental regulation, and the role of the Railroad Commission in shaping Texas energy policy. Wright stressed repeatedly that the commission functions primarily as a regulatory agency responsible for implementing laws passed by the legislature rather than creating policy independently.
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