Jim Wright sought the Railroad Commission of Texas seat six years ago as a reform advocate, but his actions have angered influential oil magnates now aiming to remove him.
Wright led the first significant update of oilfield waste regulations in four decades at the Railroad Commission, which oversees oil and gas in Texas. The reform, adopted last year, received criticism from several independent oil and gas firms. One such firm, CrownQuest, filed a lawsuit against the Railroad Commission challenging the rule’s validity.
CrownQuest’s billionaire founder, Tim Dunn, known for targeting Texas Republicans he finds insufficiently conservative, supports Bo French, a far-right candidate challenging Wright. French, the former chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party, launched his campaign in November 2025, vowing to oppose “radical climate change ideology” and “foreign capture” of the industry. However, issues like flaring, injection wells, and waste pits, which are regulated by the Railroad Commission, were not mentioned.
The Texas Freedom Fund for the Advancement of Justice, a PAC backed by Dunn and oil magnate Farris Wilks, injected French’s campaign with $375,000, exceeding half of his campaign funds. In the crowded Republican primary, French trailed Wright by less than 0.5%, leading to a runoff on May 26.
French’s campaign illustrates the influence Texas oil barons have on policy debates within the commission. While Wright has received substantial contributions from oilfield executives and industry groups, he faces allegations of conflicts of interest as he still holds stakes in oilfield businesses while overseeing the industry.
The runoff winner will compete against Democratic candidate Jon Rosenthal, a state representative from Houston, who views the Republican contest as a clash between “chaos and corruption.”
Neither the French campaign nor the Texas Freedom Fund responded to requests for comment. Wright’s spokesperson, Aaron Krejci, stated that Wright’s actions are based on what he deems best for Texas and the energy sector’s long-term interests.
The Railroad Commission, established in the 1890s, began regulating Texas’s oil industry in the early 1900s. It no longer regulates railroads, focusing instead on oil and gas drilling, gas utilities, pipeline safety, and surface mining. Unlike most states, Texas elects its oil and gas regulators, who serve staggered six-year terms, with all seats held by Republicans for years.
As a candidate, Wright promoted his experience as the owner of several oilfield waste companies in South Texas, advocating for updated oilfield waste regulations. After defeating incumbent Ryan Sitton in 2020, he worked to revise outdated oilfield waste rules that hadn’t changed since fracking transformed the industry.
The 2024 draft rules received extensive public feedback from oil firms, landowners, and trade groups. CrownQuest, a leading critic, submitted detailed objections in October 2024, arguing that the rules required rewriting due to their complexity.
The final rules, not fully rewritten, were adopted on July 1, 2025, mandating drillers to register waste pits but not notify landowners. Critics argued the rules were insufficient, leaving Texas behind other states, while others claimed they imposed burdens on small firms.
Discontented with the final rule, CrownQuest sued the Railroad Commission in September, alleging invalid rulemaking due to insufficient responses to public comments. The Railroad Commission refutes the lawsuit’s claims, with no hearing date set. CrownQuest’s legal team did not comment.
Meanwhile, Wright, up for reelection, leveraged his ability to fundraise continuously during his term, amassing substantial campaign funds. Contributors included oil and gas executives like Kelcy Warren, Autry Stephens, and Vicki Hollub.
In addition to support from Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Oil and Gas Association PAC, Wright faced a campaign from French, who joined the race in November with recognition among Texas’s far-right Republicans. Known for his controversial statements, French’s inflammatory comments sparked controversy, distancing him from many Republican leaders.
French criticized Railroad Commission spending on “Diversity Equity and Inclusion” related to the Historically Underutilized Businesses program, which was frozen by the state comptroller last year. Wright’s spokesperson stressed that contracts focus on experience and taxpayer value.
Despite his rhetoric, French has not clarified his specific platform for the commission, although he opposes environmental regulations introduced last July, which Wright supported.
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org