Bo French, Jon Rosenthal battle over culture, job duties in bid to regulate the oil and gas industry

Bo French and Jon Rosenthal are competing in the race for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, with their campaign focusing on differences in approach to regulating the oil and gas industry. French, the GOP candidate, has drawn national attention due to his remarks on the role of the commission. Rosenthal, the Democratic candidate, has countered with his own views on the responsibilities of the commission.

Liberty and accountability

Bo French and Jon Rosenthal have offered competing approaches in the race for the Texas Railroad Commission, the body whose work includes oversight of the state’s oil and gas industry. Campaign arguments over personalities or culture-war issues should not distract from the responsibilities attached to the office. Voters are entitled to know what regulatory decisions commissioners can make and how candidates would approach those powers.

A libertarian evaluation considers both property rights and the possibility of regulatory capture. Producers and landowners should receive predictable rules, fair hearings, and protection against politically motivated enforcement. Communities affected by industrial activity also deserve enforceable legal remedies for documented harms. Neither campaign contributions nor partisan loyalty should determine whether an agency protects citizens or benefits selected businesses.

Candidates should explain their positions on permitting, inspection transparency, environmental liability, administrative penalties, and the disclosure of contacts with regulated companies. They should identify any rules they would simplify and show how safety and property rights would be maintained. A regulator’s success is not measured by rhetorical toughness or friendliness to an industry, but by lawful, transparent decisions that treat competitors and citizens fairly.