Republican hardliner Bo French defeated incumbent Jim Wright in the Texas Railroad Commission runoff election, signaling growing influence from the far-right wing of the Texas GOP. The race highlighted deep divisions within the Republican Party between establishment-backed candidates and grassroots conservative activists.
The Texas Railroad Commission, despite its name, regulates the state’s oil, gas, and pipeline industries and is one of the most influential energy regulatory bodies in the US, reports Bloomberg. French’s victory was viewed as a setback for establishment Republicans and major oil companies that supported Wright.
