Railroad Commissioner
StatewideBo French (R) faces Jon Rosenthal (D) for Railroad Commissioner on November 3, 2026.
Bo French won the May 26 Republican runoff over incumbent James Wright after a tight five-way primary. Jon Rosenthal, a Houston state representative, ran unopposed for Democrats. No major handicapper rates the race; the rating reflects Texas's structural lean (the office has been Republican since 1994).
Despite the name, regulates Texas's oil, gas, and mining industries, not railroads. Oversees an industry producing 43% of U.S. crude oil, sets drilling permits, pipeline safety rules, and environmental standards.
November General Election
Nov 3, 2026No major handicapper rates Texas down-ballot statewide races. Bo French (R), who beat incumbent James Wright in the May 26 runoff, faces Houston state representative Jon Rosenthal (D). The office has been in Republican hands since 1994. The rating reflects structural lean, not a forecast.
The November ballot, explained
Texas race coverage by email, only when something changes before Nov 3.
Runoff result
Primary Runoff
Winner.Bo French
James Wright(i)March primary result
Primary Results
James Wright(i)Bo French
James Matlock
Katherine Culbert
Hawk Dunlap
Winner.Jon RosenthalPolls vs. Results
Republican Primary
| Candidate | Party | Poll prediction (%) | Actual result (%) | Difference | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Wright | Republican | 21% | 32.1% | +11.1 | |
| Bo French | Republican | No poll data | 31.7% | N/A | |
| James Matlock | Republican | 20% | 19.3% | -0.7 | |
| Katherine Culbert | Republican | 8% | 9.2% | +1.2 | |
| Hawk Dunlap | Republican | No poll data | 7.7% | N/A |
Republican nominee
Business executive
Democratic nominee
State Representative, HD-135
Also on the ballot
- Arthur DiBiancaLibertarian
Certified for the November 3 ballot by the Texas Secretary of State, August 28, 2026.
Railroad Commissioner
GOP Primary
Runoff Watch| Candidate | Support |
|---|---|
| James Wright | 21% |
| James Matlock | 20% |
| Katherine Culbert | 8% |
General Election Polling
| Pollster | Date | Sample | French | Rosenthal | Undec. | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Public Opinion ResearchTPOR director Luke Warford is a Democratic strategist. Ballot named Libertarian Arthur DiBianca at 1%. | Aug 2026 | 1,000 LV±3.3 MOE | 45% | 41% | — | French +4 |
| Texas Southern UniversityThree-way ballot incl. Arthur DiBianca (L) 2%; 13% undecided. 67% could not rate French and 83% could not rate Rosenthal. Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research and Survey Center; SMS-to-web, fielded Jul 27-30, coauthored by Rice's Mark P. Jones. Sampling frame and weighting variables are not disclosed in the report. | Jul 2026 | 1,200 LV±2.83 MOE | 44% | 41% | — | French +3 |
Each row is one poll, shown as reported. Headline cards separately average eligible independent likely-voter polls; see the methodology page. “Tied” means the reported gap is within the poll's stated uncertainty, not that the candidates have equal support. An undecided share appears only when explicitly recorded from the source; a dash means it has not been recorded. Independently rounded categories may not sum to 100%. Likely-voter (LV) and registered-voter (RV) samples are not directly comparable.
Endorsement Tracker
Republican runoff endorsements
James Wright(3)
Frequently Asked
Who is running for Texas Railroad Commissioner in 2026?
Bo French (R) faces Jon Rosenthal (D) in the November 3, 2026 general election.
When is the 2026 Texas Railroad Commissioner election?
The general election is November 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline is October 5, early voting runs October 19 to 30, and mail-ballot applications are due October 23.
Is the 2026 Texas Railroad Commissioner race competitive?
No major handicapper rates this race. TexPolls lists it as Likely Republican based on Texas's structural partisan lean and recent statewide results, not a forecast. No Democrat has won a statewide Texas office since 1994.
What does the Texas Railroad Commissioner do?
Despite the name, regulates Texas's oil, gas, and mining industries, not railroads. Oversees an industry producing 43% of U.S. crude oil, sets drilling permits, pipeline safety rules, and environmental standards.
How were the 2026 Railroad Commissioner nominees decided?
Bo French won the May 26 Republican runoff over incumbent James Wright after a tight five-way primary. Jon Rosenthal, a Houston state representative, ran unopposed for Democrats. No major handicapper rates the race; the rating reflects Texas's structural lean (the office has been Republican since 1994).
Who else is on the ballot for Railroad Commissioner in 2026?
Beyond the Republican and Democratic nominees, Arthur DiBianca is the Libertarian candidate. The full November 3 ballot was certified by the Texas Secretary of State on August 28, 2026.
Key Dates
Runoff date: May 26, 2026
Other statewide races
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