The race for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, the statewide agency that regulates oil and gas, drew more money to the Democrat than the Republican in the latest campaign finance period, according to reports reviewed by The Texas Tribune.
Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal of the Houston area raised roughly $488,000, his best total since launching his campaign last November, the Tribune reported Tuesday. Republican nominee Bo French, a former Tarrant County GOP chairman, raised $439,000 in the same period.
The race appears on every Texas ballot in the Nov. 3 general election.
Where the money came from
Most of Rosenthal's haul came from thousands of small donors in Texas, who made up about 60% of his latest total, according to the Tribune. He received nearly $90,000 from the Lone Star Project, a Washington, D.C.-based political action committee that backs Democrats, and $25,000 from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. Donors from every state except North Dakota gave to his campaign.
French's largest contribution in the period was $100,000 from Texans United for a Conservative Majority, a PAC tied to oil businessman Tim Dunn, who the Tribune reported has spent close to $500,000 in cash and in-kind help on French's bid. French also drew money from oil companies, including $25,000 from NGL PAC, and $10,000 from the campaign of sitting Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian.
According to the Tribune, Rosenthal's fundraising rose after a September post by French on X that the outlet described as racist.
