The Republican primary runoff candidates for Texas railroad commissioner

Republicans Jim Wright and Bo French are competing in the May 26 primary runoff for Texas railroad commissioner, after none of the five March 3 primary candidates won more than 50% of votes. The winner will be on the ballot in November along with the only Democratic candidate, Jon Rosenthal.

Here are the Republican candidates’ responses to a Star-Telegram questionnaire, listed in ballot order.

Jim Wright

Did not respond.

Bo French

Age (as of March 3): 56

Campaign website: bofrench.com

Best way for voters to reach you: info@bofrench.com

Occupation: Investor, Entrepreneur

Education: BA History, TCU

Have you run for elected office before?

Texas House District 99, ran 2016 and 2018. Tarrant GOP Chairman, held 2023-2025.

Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Texas:

I have served on the FWPD SWAT Support Board, raising 7 figures to support law enforcement. I have been heavily involved in charities for veterans, and one of my companies donates proceeds to charities supporting veterans.

Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No

Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? I was wrongly sued by the widow of a business partner, and the lawsuit was dropped with prejudice. I sued the campaign of my opponent when his staff made a false CPS claim on my family.

Who are your top three campaign contributors? n/a

Why are you seeking this office?

I decided to run because the incumbent has made the RRC a top 10 DEI agency in our state, massively increased regulation, and is a major Democrat donor. The people of Texas deserve someone who stands by their values, and I knew I needed to do my part by running. When I win, Republican voters across Texas will finally have a Railroad Commissioner who represents them and fights ceaselessly for their values.

If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?

1) End the massive overregulation brought about by my opponent. 2) End all DEI spending at the RRC. 3) Stop the Islamic invasion of Texas.

How will you measure your success as railroad commissioner?

If we can overhaul permitting, rollback overregulation, and award contracts based on merit, rather than on race-based criteria, which will make our spending more efficient, we will produce energy more efficiently, bringing down energy costs for Texans, and will get more wells plugged. I would call this a success.

Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

The incumbent is a massive Democrat donor, another candidate is an environmentalist, one ran as the 2024 Libertarian candidate against the Republican nominee, and the other was the 2024 Democrat candidate against the Republican nominee. So in this Republican primary, I am the only candidate who supports the Republican Party, Republican Platform, and conservative values - and I have the track record to prove it.

What are Texans looking for and wanting most in their railroad commissioner?

Texans want someone who represents their interests and puts them first. They want cheap, reliably energy, and they want to stop abandoned wells from ruining their property. I’m the only candidate promising both of these.

What is the biggest challenge facing the oil and gas industry and Texans whose livelihoods depend on it? How would you address this challenges as commissioner?

Two problems: massive new regulations under my opponent, and a Railroad Commission still living in the 19th century. These unnecessary new regulations increase the cost of energy, making it harder and harder for Texans to afford to heat their homes. When you still operate on pen and paper, with permit applications sent by snail mail, you waste precious time that could get operations online that will help people get the energy they need. I will institute a revolutionary new permitting process that will massively cut down on permitting time, and will roll back the massive regulations that raise costs for Texans.

Please outline your experience in the oil and gas industry. How will that experience inform your tenure as railroad commissioner if elected?

I have been in the Texas energy sector for 3 decades and have helped grow many successful companies. So I know the business side of things. But I also have property where mismanaged wells have caused environmental damage to my property. So I also deeply understand the perspective of the property owner who is negatively affected by these issues. I’m the only candidate who can truly understand both the business and property owner perspectives. This will help me do what is right for all parties affected by the Railroad Commission.

What should the Railroad Commission of Texas do to address orphan oil and gas wells?

The RRC could implement all sorts of cutting edge technology to help track and respond to issues much faster. In addition, most of the money dedicated to well plugging is expended through contractors. Under my opponent, these contracts are awarded on race-based criteria, rather than merit. By ending this, we will be much more efficient with the funds at our disposal, and get more wells plugged.

Should the Railroad Commission of Texas change its name to better reflect the commission’s duties? Why or why not, and is there an alternative name you’d suggest?

Ultimately this issue is up to the Legislature and the people of Texas. I don’t have a proposed name that I would recommend. But if the Legislature and the great people of Texas determined that the name should be changed, I would support them in that decision.

What steps should the Railroad Commission of Texas take to prepare for continued population growth and the challenges that come with it?

We need to make more energy and make it more efficiently. That means creating a common sense, efficient, and reliable environment for the operators who produce our energy. For example, the RRC doesn’t have the authority to prevent data centers, but it can make sure we produce enough cheap and reliable energy to meet the increased demand.

This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 3:43 PM with the headline "The Republican primary runoff candidates for Texas railroad commissioner."