ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – Texas primary elections are right around the corner. On the ballot, Texans will see the position of Railroad Commissioner up for a vote.

Current Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright is one of three commissioners whose six-year-term is up for election. Wright faces off against 4 Republicans in the primary, including:

Katherine Culbert, Hawk Dunlap, Bo French, and Jim Matlock.
The winner in November will face Democrat and State Rep. Jon Rosenthal.
Wright told Big 2’s Chris Talley what the position entails.

“We’ve evolved with the discovery of oil and natural gas here in Texas into overseeing, pretty much of the fossil fuel industry. Not just oil and natural gas, but our coal, uranium, our pipelines, and our local distribution systems of natural gas to homes,” explained Chairman Wright.

According to the RRC’s website, it’s a state agency that regulates Texas’ energy industries, mainly:

Oil and gas drilling and production

Pipelines and natural gas utilities (making sure infrastructure is built and operated safely)

Surface mining (coal and uranium)

LP gas (propane) safety and licensing

In short, the RRC ensures the state’s oil, gas, and mining operations are safe, legal, and environmentally responsible. Wright tells us why the position is so important.

“The state of Texas alone ranks number eighth in just our economy behind France. So, that’s pretty impressive and that’s why this thing is so important,” explained Wright.

One of the current challenges the RRC faces is produced water from oil and gas operations.

“I think it’s those kinds of things that as we face huge drought conditions. How can the railroad commission can help solve some of those in treatment of all that volume of water that we have. [We also attempt to] eliminate some of the injection that we’re [seeing] with the new shale discovery, so it creates, some growing pains from that,” said Wright.

Wright also told Big 2 what kind of candidate he thinks is fit for the position.

“It takes somebody with a really good understanding of [energy] industries, somebody with a good business sense,” said Wright.

Election Day is March 3, 2026

For more of the latest stories on oil, gas, and energy, watch ‘Powering the Permian’ on Wednesdays on Big 2 News at 6 pm. CLICK HERE to check out past segments 24/7.

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