Texas election rules require that primary candidates receive at least 50 percent of the vote. The Express-News switched its endorsement to Dawayne Tipton, a former roughneck from Killeen who worked his way up into management. Stogner told the paper she decided to release the video because the risk seemed worth it as a University of Houston poll showed her only a few points behind Christian, who has been bankrolled by oil and gas interests. The primary will take place on May 24, with the general . Four years after rocketing to national fame with a strong but ultimately failed effort to unseat Senator Ted Cruz, Beto ORourke will be the Democratic nominee for Texas governor. When you have boobs, you get held to different standards. (A few months after losing the primary, Moutos lost his job as a state assistant attorney general, after he posted tweets that the Texas Tribune described as threatening violence against progressives, spouting racist and transphobic rhetoric, casting doubt over the seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, and sharingQAnon conspiracy theories.). Three is protecting our air and our water. Im tired of people telling me things are impossible, she said. Wayne Christian * (Republican) . Take the political quiz to see which Railroad Commissioner candidates match your politicalbeliefs. Christian graduated from high school as valedictorian, and went on to graduate from Stephen F. Austin State University with a B.B.A. 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. Feb. 18 Last day to apply for a ballot by mail for the primaries. Despite the misleading name, theRailroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is the primary state agency responsible for regulating Texas oil and gas industry. Please tell me how I am supposed to get the medias attention so I can discuss these important issues, she wrote. The Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas operations in the State of Texas. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our user agreement and privacy policy. Incumbent Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian (the one accused of corruption) failed to fend off a runoff election. The biggest threat we currently have is political, Christian said, before launching into criticism of efforts to curb climate change that often take aim at the oil and gas industry. Texas comptroller is up for grabs in the 2022 midterm, along with commissioners of land and agriculture, and a seat on the Railroad Commission. The third article in the Chronicle's series on Texas elections and politicians examines the three commissioner races Land, Railroad and Agriculture and the State Board of Education . And he thinks climate change is not real. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The Railroad Commission regulates that infrastructure. Christian is a former gospel singer turned financial adviser turned longtime Texas politician. Fire Ants Have Unleashed Chaos in Texas for Decades. In the case of a vacancy, the Governor appoints a replacement. 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. 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. The campaign for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, usually a low-profile affair, is getting more attentionand thats a good thing. 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. Hes a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer. Here's the lineup: Gary Gates, Republican. Email: Wayne@ChristianForTexas.com Phone: (936) 598-8183 204 Houston St. Center, Texas 75935 Pol. I didnt realize it would incite the rage and anger that it did from the press, she told the Chronicle. 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.. Key fact: Applications must be . 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. Throughout the evening, Christian tried to convince the audience that hes the conservative fighter who will protect the states oil and gas sector even if local governments and the free market are increasingly interested in renewable energy sources. Its daily. ( 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. Garza and Jaworski will move to a runoff. Democrat Beto O'Rourke won his party's primary, with 91% of the vote as of 1 a.m. Although there are four candidates, the race has been focused on Christian and Warford. The campaign for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, usually a low-profile affair, is getting more attentionand that's a good thing. 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. My name is Hunter Crow and I'm seeking the position of Texas Railroad Commissioner, because we cannot have a healthy humanity without a healthy natural world. But for Christian, who argues that whats good for the oil industry is good for Texas, a coziness with industry is not necessarily a bad thing. Railroad Commissioner: x-$3,750 -5000: Justice, Supreme Court g: x-$3,750 -5000: Five seconds of me scantily clad on top of a pump jack.. in General Business in 1973. Subscribe with RSS; Powered by people like you. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. The Railroad Commission of Texas has been called one of the most consequential climate-related offices in the country. 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. Incumbent Wayne Christian and oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner pitched voters in Paris, Texas, ahead of the May 24 election. What is your response to his allegations against you? Q: What would be your top priorities in another term as railroad commissioner? But its also true that this election deserves all the attention it can get. For additional information or appointment inquiries, please contact: Jeremy HagenE: jeremy.hagen@rrc.texas.govP: 512-463-7131orWayne Christian P: 512-463-7131E: wayne.christian@rrc.texas.gov, Copyright 2022 | Railroad Commission of Texas. Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner Sarah Stogner posted a video last week that is raising eyebrows as voters head to the polls. Then he pledged to push the state GOP to change the agencys name: My voice will not be silenced in changing the name of the Railroad Commission, because people need to know what that is.. . When he ran for the Senate four years ago, Democrat Beto ORourke won just 61 percent in the primary. The Exit: Teachers Leave. 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. (Section 172.022, Texas Election Code). https://twitter.com/Sarah4RRC/status/1493041677266829315?v. Stogners seminude stunt is only the latest twist in what has become the strangest Republican primary campaign for Railroad Commission in decades. 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. And those buyers are willing to pay more for lower emissions, oil and gas. During the campaign, Christian who has a big advantage over his opponent in party endorsements and campaign cash to spend has accused Stogner of being pro-abortion, anti-gun and in favor of sexualized content in schools. His campaign has released some of Stogners old tweets, including one that said men shouldnt legislate what decisions women can make about their own bodies (Stay out of my uterus please) and another that questioned the point of legislation aimed at banning critical race theory in Texas schools (But I sure as hell know we need to be teach[ing] kid[s] the reality of slavery and discrimination that still exists). 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. For example, the Express-News endorsed Nick Moutos in the 2020 Republican primary for the Thirty-fifth Congressional District, calling him easily the most qualified of the Republican candidates. Yet, just a few days before, Moutos had tweeted If @TheDemocrats want civil war, theyd do well to remember #WeThePeople own more guns than the entire population of #America. Unlike Stogner, Moutos didnt say please., When I raised the matter of the Moutos post with Stogner, she replied: I have boobs; welcome to having boobs, Russell. Umm, its tough, Hommel said. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. In Railroad Commission runoff, GOP candidates court North Texas voters who want them to change agency's confusing name Incumbent Wayne Christian and oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner. Get Involved Stogner, who lives on a ranch in Monahans, west of Odessa, said Christian is a politician bought and controlled by donors. I have [contaminated] groundwater, he takes $100,000 bribes, Stogner said, referring to leaking pipes in her West Texas area. Cars Spun Doughnuts in Austin, And Greg Abbott Got Furious, Fast. 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. What would be your top three priorities as railroad commissioner? . Texas Election Information. But this is an opportunity to reaffirm our principles and expectations, the editorial board wrote. Texas Railroad Commissioner Election Results 2022 - The New York Times Advertisement Senate House Uncalled House Races Top Races Governor Needle Ga. Senate Runoff Senator Raphael Warnock. The issues that are at stake in the Texas Railroad Commission are so important to Texans, are so important to the future of our state. 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. Published: Feb. 16, 2022 at 9:12 PM PST ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - Railroad Commissioner is one of Texas' most important elected offices. for a place on the ballot with the county or state party chair, as appropriate (see chart). 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. Did it help him decide who he will vote for? 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. In Hidalgo County, on the border with Mexico, he won just 50 percent. Texas Railroad Commissioner Republican primary Republican primary runoff Election details Filing deadline: December 13, 2021 Primary: March 1, 2022 Primary runoff: May 24, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent (s): Wayne Christian (Republican) How to vote Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Texas Ballotpedia analysis 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. Updated: 7:36 AM CST February 16, 2022 TEXAS, USA A candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission is facing backlash for a campaign video showing the Republican wearing pasties atop an. We expect candidates for public office to model civil discourse and decorum worthy of the publics trust, its editorial board said.