Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Peter Neronha won re-election to a second term. In the general election, state representative Celia Israel and former . Theres a good chance this race is going to a runoff, and, as Cisneros feared, the other progressive in the race, Tannya Benavides, is playing the spoiler, with nearly 5 percent of the vote. The filing deadline is now past, and eight Republicans, three Democrats and a Libertarian have said they will run for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission to replace David Porter, who unexpectedly decided not to run for re-election. But me scantily clad is where the line is drawn, she wrote on Facebook. During the course of the debate, local Republicans would ask the candidates incumbent Railroad Commission Chair Wayne Christian, a 71-year-old former state representative and Grammy-nominated gospel singer, and challenger 37-year-old oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner what the state has done to improve the states power grid after last years deadly winter storm, what they plan to do about the practice of burning off natural gas through flaring and how strictly the state should regulate the oil and gas industry. Christian, a 71-year-old Grammy-nominated former gospel singer and financial planner who is seeking his second six-year term, is trying to fend off challenges from Slocum, Stogner and Dawayne Tipton, a former oil field roughneck who has worked various oil sector jobs including offshore drilling. If youre not paying attention to this years Republican primary for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commissionand relatively few voters areyou should be. And, if all thats not enough to draw your interest, the race has taken three unexpected turns during the past couple of weeksinvolving death, alleged corruption, and barely covered breasts. The Express-News switched its endorsement to Dawayne Tipton, a former roughneck from Killeen who worked his way up into management. We've received your submission. He and Abbott will go head to head in November. . Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. On these committees, he had direct oversight of the Railroad Commission and accumulated a strong record of standing for free markets and against burdensome regulations. Do you value our journalism? It is bull crap that were a year in and there has been no major progress on winterization, he told me. Do you value our journalism? Also in the field is Tom Slocum Jr., an engineering consultant from the Houston area, who says he will defend the state against liberal Democrats and their never-ending quest to destroy our oil and gas industry in Texas. Slocums sentiments are similar to those articulated in Christians platform. Numbers for state candidates cover their last filed report through 10/29/2022. Voters will decide the GOP nominee for a commission seat in a May 24 runoff election. Garza and Jaworski will move to a runoff. Christian: The Railroad Commission does not regulate electricity, but the best way to ensure reliable energy is to build out more natural gas generation facilities. Courtesy / Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner Sarah Stogner posted a video last week that is raising eyebrows as voters head to the polls. And here we are, its working, she said, listing various news stories about her campaign since the video went public. Q for Warford: What is your response to criticism from your opponent, who is describing you as a left-wing extremist? Race called by The Associated Press. Leave them blank to get signed up. But its not so important that we can contaminate our air, contaminate our groundwater.. Those issues include: the Texas blackout last year (caused in large part by problems along the natural gas supply chain that the commission regulates); the role big industry donations play in Railroad Commission policy decisions; the current high price of natural gas; and the routine practice of gas flaring in the Texas oil fields, which wastes . While it no longer helps set global oil prices, as it did in the forties and fifties, the Railroad Commission still oversees fossil-fuel production and pipelines. The Timess election results pages are produced by Michael Andre, Crystal Arroyo, Aliza Aufrichtig, Matthew Bloch, Andrew Chavez, Nate Cohn, Alastair Coote, Annie Daniel, Tiffany Fehr, Will Houp, Josh Katz, Aaron Krolik, Jasmine C. Lee, Rebecca Lieberman, Bea Malsky, Jaymin Patel, Rachel Shorey, Charlie Smart, Umi Syam, Urvashi Uberoy and Isaac White. But the catchphrase has struck many others as insensitive or anti-Semitic, a critique that came up in 2014 when Christian faced a primary opponent who was Jewish. Railroad Commission candidates offer opposing visions of what will make oil and gas industry 'healthy' | KUT Radio, Austin's NPR Station Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. But today, with two-thirds of the Hidalgo vote in, Mr. ORourke was at 81 percent, suggesting he would do far better in the primary for governor than he did for Senate. PARIS, Texas Deep in Northeast Texas, near the replica Eiffel Tower topped with a red cowboy hat, Cynthia Rice-Tims decorated tables inside the Celebrate It event hall with household products made from petroleum. Policy-wise, Warford supports renaming the commission so it makes sense to voters, creating a natural gas market monitor to guard against price gouging, increasing the weatherization of gas infrastructure, and reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions from Texas fossil fuel operations. Stogner homed in on Christians lack of oil and gas experience compared to her decade as an oil and gas lawyer and what she sees as Christians desire to do whatever the oil and gas industry wants. Christian is a former gospel singer turned financial adviser turned longtime Texas politician. This was neither, it added. Instead, it oversees the Lone Star States oil and gas industry, the network explained. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. Railroad Commissioners are elected statewide to six-year, staggered terms. On Twitter Show us with your support. In 1987, after gaining valuable experience in business, banking and real estate, Wayne Christian opened a financial services businesshe is a three time AIG top advisor nationwide. A Federal Judge in Amarillo Could Effectively Ban the Abortion Pill. In the last fundraising period, Warford outraised Christian 3:1 and has $318,059 cash on hand compared to Christians $181,412 war chest. And You Thought Feral Hogs Were Bad. Christian did not respond to criticism of the commissions handling of the grids collapse, but in an email he did rebut allegations from some of his opponents that accepting a big campaign donation from the company that received the oil waste dump permit amounted to a payoff for his vote. I want to talk about flaring. We are independent and not affiliated with any investors, shareholders, political parties or interestgroups. Speaking to supporters in Laredo, Jessica Cisneros says Were probably not going to know the full results tonight, but adds that they are holding out hope in the 28th Congressional District race for tonight, tomorrow or May (when there would be a runoff). Jessica Cisneros has dipped below 50 percent, with rural Starr and Zapata Counties still not reporting. Despite the agencys power over Texas largest industry including the natural gas system, a crucial element of the Texas power grid that failed last year during a powerful winter storm, leaving millions of people without power for days elections for the three-member board that oversees it typically dont generate much attention from voters. Lee esta historia en espaol. Rochelle Garza has 44% of the vote, Joe Jaworski has 20%, Lee Merritt is at 19%, Mike Fields 12% and T-Bone Raynor 5%. Stogner told the audience she wants to focus on reducing groundwater contamination and air pollution in Texas and tried to reassure them that shes sufficiently conservative by saying that she opposes abortion, favors gun rights and does not want to defund police departments. When he accepted a $100,000 campaign donation from a company with business before the Railroad Commission, his GOP primary opponent Sara Stogner accused him of taking bribes.. Another candidate, Dawayne Tipton, who is endorsed by all three of the states largest papers, said he doesnt fault Stogner. The number of rejected ballots in Harris County alone has surpassed the statewide total during the 2020 general election. And its full of great reads, yall. RAILROAD COMMISSIONER. This year is different. Here's the lineup: Gary Gates, Republican. Texas 2022 Elections A semi-nude video, corruption allegations and a fatal crash roil GOP primary for Texas Railroad Commission The oldest state regulatory agency, in charge of how oil. 2022 Election. Congress seems like an inevitable reality, he told supporters. Everyday your story is being told by someone. Published March 1, 2022. Christian, who received generally friendly questions throughout the night, was asked at one point about corruption allegations that surfaced after he voted against the recommendation of Railroad Commission staff to approve a permit for an oil field waste dump facility, then days later accepted a $100,000 campaign donation from the company that received the permit. Umm, its tough, Hommel said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. in General Business in 1973. The Working Families Party sent out a memo noting that its volunteers had knocked on 80,000 doors in the state. Stogner said she is used to being objectified in the male-dominated industryI understand that when I walk into a room or a space, people dont assume that Im a lawyer or that Im competent on anything to do with oil and gas, she told the paper. Its name remains problematic, noted Sunset Advisory Commission staff in 2016, in recommending it be rechristened the Texas Energy Resources Commission. Against independent and government findings, he says commission regulators and industry did not mess up during the blackout. Early voting lasts from Monday through Feb. 25, and election day is March 1. Published: Feb. 24, 2022 at 11:19 AM PST TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Dawayne Tipton, one of the Republicans who is running for Texas Railroad Commissioner, said he is the best qualified for the position because of his years of experience in the oil and gas industry. Were for the good stuff!. Still Practicing: Tracking Problem Doctors, Texas Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout Investigations, Sign up for More than the Score Sports newsletter, Best smart home devices for older users, according, How to get started on spring cleaning early, according, Worried about your student using ChatGPT for homework? (Christian did not respond to KUTs request for an interview.). May 11, 20225 AM Central. Today, after redistricting to protect Republican seats, there is just one that will be competitive in the general election, the 15th. Christi Craddick, James Wright and Wayne Christian. He has no oil and gas experience he won on a pro-life platform because thats what primary voters cared about in 2016, Stogner said. We have to be educating people on what the oil and gas industry does, she said. There was one campaign in particular she wanted to talk about. The Chairman is chosen by the Commissioners. Summers name will still be on the ballot, too, because he died too close to election day to change the ballots. I have concern for my grandkids, I believe the good Lord has given us oil gas, and coal as the greatest resource and made Texas the number one supplier of that in history. As your Railroad Commissioner, I bring a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the Bitcoin Energy revolution to educate other oil and gas experts so that Texas becomes the world's leader in cheap and plentiful energy production maximizing our use of existing fields and wells in our great state!I will focus on adopting smart energy-strong policies while maintaining a stable job creation . , Weatherford PD searching for missing 80-year-old, 2nd arrest in SA dog attack that killed elderly man, Killeen arrests several individuals in warrant roundup, TX man gets probation for videoing woman changing, PD: Edinburg bus driver arrested after child left, Biden Admin does not want TX lawsuit in Lubbock, Friday Night Lights star choked ex-wife, police, Get to know our book expert, Ciera Pasturel, Cardio and more for a healthy heart, according to, Insulated doghouses and other accessories to keep, ATX City Council looking at petition requirements, Racial disparities in asthma-related ER visits for, APD provides details surrounding fatal hit-and-run, Officials announce $93M for chronically unhoused, Heres why your car looks disgusting today. This will be hilarious. Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Sarah Stogner would be a much-needed breath of fresh air. Christian, who is seeking a second term, said he believes his experience and perspective will still benefit the state and wants to make sure Texans have access to cheap, plentiful and reliable energy.. The New York Timess results team is a group of graphics editors, engineers and reporters who build and maintain software to publish election results in real-time as they are reported by results providers. Advanced to runoff 2022 Texas Elections, Candidates, Races and Voting, Book Your Fall or Winter Vacation Now and Save! Subscribe with RSS; Powered by people like you. Unicorns exist, so here I am Im not a politician, I accept no campaign contributions.. The U.S. will hold its midterm elections on Nov. 8. Its amazing how many people have no clue what a railroad commissioner does, Scott Hommel, chair of the Republican Party of Lamar County, told the audience. This site maintained by Union Labor The Green Party of . What is the least-visited state park in Texas? I think they are doing the bidding of a very small number of oil and gas executives. This is the lone Texas district that is deemed competitive, with a 2020 presidential margin within five points. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Your gift helps pay for everything you find ontexasstandard.organdKUT.org. Stogner released the five-second video on Super Bowl Sunday in a tweet with the caption: They said I needed money. David Prindle, a political science professor at UT Austin who wrote a book on the Railroad Commission, says thats a position commissioners have held basically since the start of the Texas oil industry. Attention toward the railroad commissioner race shifted during the Republican primaries when oil and gas attorney Sarah Stogner pushed Christian into a runoff after she went viral for a campaign ad of her riding a pumpjack nearly naked. For years. Theres An App for That. Despite the old-timey-sounding name, a seat on the Railroad Commission of Texas has been called one of the most consequential climate-related offices in the country. Although there are four candidates, the race has been focused on Christian and Warford. Texas Railroad Commissioner Primary Election Results Republican Primary Runoff Wayne Christian and Sarah Stogner have advanced to a runoff. AUSTIN High atop a West Texas pumpjack, Republican Railroad Commission candidate Sarah Stogner nearly bared it all in a recent social media post that is bringing . Ahead of these elections, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. I feel like Im using my platform well, she told KUT after giving remarks to the group of residents, activists and Democratic politicians. Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke hosts a rally at Fair Park in Dallas after announcing his campaign, on Nov. 21, 2021. To me, the most astonishing thing about the Texas primaries is that in 2020 there were more than a dozen competitive House districts in the state. And right now, Texas oil and gas has a reputation as not being particularly clean, because the Texas Railroad Commission doesnt enforce the rules, doesnt hold that actors accountable.. Commissioners are elected to six-year staggered terms, with one commissioner being up for election every two years, according to Ballotpedia . Statewide Races Governor Current: Greg Abbott (R) TPI: R-54% Background In the 2022 midterm elections, the top race on ballots in Texas will be for governor. Yet, not many people know what it is or what it does.. A GOP primary that saw one candidate die in a campaign-related car accident, a second pose nearly nude on top of a pump jack and a third get accused of corruption has taken yet another unexpected turn. All rights reserved. The Railroad Commission regulates that infrastructure. https://twitter.com/Sarah4RRC/status/1493041677266829315?v. In Hidalgo County, on the border with Mexico, he won just 50 percent. RepublicanWayne Christian DemocraticLuke Warford LibertarianJamie Andres Diez GreenHunter Wayne Crow Latest 2022 Railroad Commissioner polls Incumbent Wayne Christian, a Grammy-nominated gospel singer turned state representative from the small East Texas town of Center, faces four challengers in the March 1 primary. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The New York Timess results team is a group of graphics editors, engineers and reporters who build and maintain software to publish election results in real-time as they are reported by results providers. When Stogner announced her endorsement of Warford in late September, she called him not a typical Democrat and pragmatic and pro-business.. Earlier in the day, Greg Casar was praying for a 50-percent-plus-one win. Source: Election results and race calls from The Associated Press. They said I needed money. Q: How would you address further securing the power grid as we head into winter? Christian was asked to explain what hes done in his six years on the Railroad Commission to change the agencys name. Texas primaries 2022: Key dates. Two is decreasing our utility prices because Texas is the energy capital of the world. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. The top two candidates in races where no one reaches that threshold will meet in runoff contests on May 24. Christian avoided talking about the power grid and last years winter freeze, even when asked by Rice-Tims about the future of the grid. Representative Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat who narrowly beat a Republican challenger in 2020, has easily avoided a runoff in the 34th, the neighboring Rio Grande Valley district in which hes now running after the lines were redrawn earlier this year. In the race for Republican Lt. We review social media, and Stogner would never have been our pick had the video appeared before we made our recommendation, the paper said in an editorial. Email: Wayne@ChristianForTexas.com Phone: (936) 598-8183 204 Houston St. Center, Texas 75935 Pol. Commissioner Wayne Christian. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Now, Democrats are catching up, Undocumented Motherhood explores family separation, challenges in healthcare access, Democrats and Republicans in Collin County vie for open Texas House District 70 seat, Amazon Prime ups its music game, within limits, Texas Standard for Nov. 3, 2022: Churches arent supposed to endorse candidates but some big Texas churches are, Early voting is underway in Texas: Heres how to vote in the 2022 midterm election, In a Central Texas county, high schoolers are jailed on felony charges for vaping what could be legal hemp, As Texas STAAR test goes fully online, teachers feel defeated, Texas Education Agency projects confidence. He added, My opponents are mudslinging out of desperation because I am the only candidate in this race with the endorsements, campaign infrastructure, and resources necessary to win this race.. If you were near the Mount Carmel apartments in East Austin on a recent sunny morning you might have spotted an unlikely celebrity in a little crowd gathered on the lawn. Five candidates are presently running in the March 1, 2022 Republican Primary to be the next Railroad Commissioner of Texas. But what weve got is a map with no transparency with the commission. After college, Christian found success in the music industry with his country/gospel band, the Mercy River Boys and went on to be finalist for a Grammy Award in 1979. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. And those things just simply arent political., The truth of it is the greatest scam in the history of our nation is this green environmentalism extremism catastrophism, Christian said in a recent interview on a YouTube show called The Crude Truth. They like what I do with oil and gas in Texas, Christian said. Im going to have to stew on it.. 2021 Texas Standard. Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Shes punching back, Hommel told a Tribune reporter as Christian spoke. The Exit: Teachers Leave. Im running because Wayne Christian, my opponent, is a career politician who takes 99% of his campaign contributions from the industry hes supposed to regulate. Stogner, who isnt accepting campaign contributions, cheekily wrote on the post, They said I needed money I have other assets. In an interview with Texas Monthly, and on LinkedIn, Stogner defended her video. During his time in the House, Christian was a leader for the conservative renaissance in the State of Texas and successfully assisted in the fight to elect a Republican majority in the Texas Legislature. To learn more about how election results work, read this article. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our user agreement and privacy policy. The crew, in town to film a documentary about an unplugged oil well spewing contaminated fluids, was sharing beers with Stogner when one of the videographers said they always wanted to do an artistic photo shoot on a pumpjack, Stogner recalled. Q for Christian: Why should Texans elect you again? Three is protecting our air and our water. And the reason that that happened is because the Railroad Commission hadnt mapped out who the critical producers now the Railroad Commission was directed to create a supply chain map to try to address that problem. Candidates The following is a list of candidates running for office in the 2022 Texas Railroad Commissioner election. And for them, its totally reasonable to require them to weatherize and thats where I would focus as a commissioner.. deadline: Jan. 31 Early voting starts: Feb. 14 Early voting ends: Feb. 25 Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Absentee/mail-in deadline: March 1 Christians financial ties to industry have also come under fire. The board members serve staggered, six-year terms. Companies would be more incentivized to do so if we stopped picking winners and losers and subsidizing unreliable forms of energy., Warford: During the winter storm, as electricity supply dropped, we then cut off electricity supply to some of our most critical natural gas producers. Christian: I have never allowed a political contribution to influence my decisions in elected office. Texas Railroad Commissioner Qualifications: What training, experience and background qualify you for this position? Candidates for federal office must file a federal application . Religion is something he brings up often on the stump. The following is a list of candidates running for office in the 2022 Texas Railroad Commissionerelection. Its how voters feel about that statement, as much as issues of the blackout and global warming, that may decide the race for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission. I have other assets, GOP lawyer Sarah Stogner, 37, said in a tweet of the campaign clip posted to TikTok. But its also true that this election deserves all the attention it can get. Three days later, the group headquartered in Center that was behind the dump gave Christian a $100,000 campaign contribution. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, the incumbent, did not receive 50% of the vote. . Nashvilles Best Hotel Selection, Copyright 2019-2022 TXElection.com | Eatmon Media. Stogner said she wished the Express-News had waited to hear what she had to say before it pulled the endorsement, Fox News reported. The top positions include, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, and railroad commissioner. After losing in the GOP runoff elections, Stogner endorsed Warford for this race. Sarah Stogner is one candidate who has . The two main contenders in this year's race for commissioner are incumbent Republican Wayne Christian and Democrat Luke Warford. Texas Railroad Commissioner Primary Election Results, https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/03/01/us/elections/results-texas-railroad-commissioner.html, Edgar Sandoval, reporting from San Antonio, Jennifer Medina, reporting from Laredo, Texas. Todays primary marks the first statewide test of the new voting law, which has already led to a significant surge in rejections of absentee ballots because of new identification requirements. The Railroad Commission of Texas Look Back at a Year of Achievements and Growth for the RRC in 2022 Year in Review Publication Christi Craddick Chairman Wayne Christian Commissioner Jim Wright Commissioner Recent Announcement RRC Online General Maintenance Sunday February 24, 2023 Read More Announcements Railroad Commission of Texas They still view themselves as the managers of the Texas economy, he says. Q: What would be your top priorities in another term as railroad commissioner? ( NewsNation) Railroad workers have been sounding the alarm for years over railway safety concerns, and a string of recent train derailments have brought these issues into the spotlight. Democrat Attorney General candidates are in the same boat. They might know about it now because of Sarah Stogner, said Tom Slocum Jr., a 38-year-old engineering consultant from the Houston area who is one of the four surviving candidates in the Republican primary. Primary elections were held on March 1, with runoffs held on May 24 for primary candidates who did not receive a majority of the vote. She went on to earn a Bachelor's degree in International Trade and Finance from Louisiana State University, followed by a Juris Doctorate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Ben Rowen is a senior editor at Texas Monthly for News & Politics. Then she pivoted to the 2021 winter storm that left millions without power for days and caused hundreds of deaths after a combination of freezing temperatures across the state and skyrocketing demand for energy shut down power plants as well as the natural gas facilities that supply them with fuel. With just over 70 percent of the results in, the Democratic bid for the open seat in Texas competitive 15th District appears destined for a runoff. Last week, Stogner told KENS 5: I want to put my clothes back on and have a serious conversation. Texas Governor Race; Texas Lieutenant Governor Race 2022; Texas Attorney General Race 2022; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; Theres this really coherent story of regulatory capture and of special interests having total power and control here, Warford said. Voter Data is deleted after every. But I am, and have I got your attention now? The incident (in which Christian denied any wrongdoing) was emblematic of a state agency whose elected commissioners are overwhelmingly funded by the industry they regulate, a practice recently documented in a series of reports from the watchdog group Commission Shift. When he finished, Rice-Tims, Hommel and the audience started asking questions starting with the name thing. A woman running for railroad commissioner in the Lone Star State has raised eyebrows over her racy campaign video in which she straddles an oil pump wearing little more than a cowboy hat and boots. In order to manage the Texas economy, they want to help and nurture a healthy petroleum industry., I dont think Wayne Christian and the current Railroad commissioners are supporting the industry as a whole, Warford says. Its free. Tipton has won the support of the editorial boards of most of the states major papers, including the Houston Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News. Key fact: Applications must be . Thats because the agency does not regulate railroads; it regulates oil and gas in the state. Meanwhile, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which regulates power plants, drafted and implemented weatherization rules in October. She will also help bring landowners back into the conversation to ensure all stakeholders are represented and heard by the Commission.