A Midland County Republican Women official said they tried for months to extend an invitation to French, who is in a runoff with incumbent Jim Wright, but were unable to reach him.
Carlos Nogueras Ramos
Carlos Nogueras Ramos is a regional reporter based in Odessa. Carlos joined The Texas Tribune in 2023 as a corps member with Report for America. Carlos tells the stories of Texas from the vast energy-rich Permian Basin region. Before the Tribune, Carlos spent time in Philadelphia writing about local politics, including the city’s 100th mayoral election. A Spanish speaker, Carlos was one of the few Latino reporters on the campaign trail, covering the most expensive primary election to date in Philly. He is a proud Puerto Rico native, born and raised in Cayey. He studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Puerto Rico.
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Energy
Record oil production in West Texas helps stabilize U.S. supply amid Iran war
Production in West Texas has helped the U.S. stabilize its demand for foreign oil amid the Iran war, despite drilling fewer oil wells.
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2026 Texas Elections
Hardline conservative donors Tim Dunn, Farris Wilks ballooned Bo French’s Railroad Commission campaign
Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks made their fortune in the oil business. They’ve deployed millions of dollars to pull the Texas GOP and Legislature toward their hardline stances.
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State Government
Texas has taken over issuing permits to store carbon underground. Here’s what to know.
The move of authority to the Texas Railroad Commission from the federal government now makes it easier for energy companies to apply for permits to store carbon underground.
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Energy
Corpus Christi’s crucial refineries look for alternate water supplies amid looming water crisis
The city produces 5% of the nation’s refined products like gas and jet fuel, and experts say a serious water shortage could force production down and push fuel prices up even further.
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Energy
A plan to get more electricity to West Texas may come undone
Oil and gas companies have said the region needs more power. Environmentalists and a conservative think tank worry the state is moving too fast — and ratepayers will see the costs in their bills.
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2026 Texas Elections
Bo French, Jim Wright head to runoff for seat on Texas Railroad Commission
The Texas Railroad Commission is responsible for regulating the state’s oil and gas industry. The election included a clash over China and diversity rules.
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2026 Texas Elections
Before scandal, Rep. Tony Gonzales had complicated relationship with his West Texas constituents
The moderate Republican’s votes on gun control and marriage equality upset the region’s most conservative voters, but local officials said they’re grateful for the work he did on public safety and health.
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Panhandle Wildfires
Xcel will replace high-risk power poles after attorney general sues over 2024 wildfires
A damaged Xcel pole owned sparked the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest in state history.
Posted in
2026 Texas Elections
In a contest to regulate Texas’s oil and gas industry, one Republican wants to talk DEI and China
Jim Wright, the GOP incumbent, and several other Republican candidates dismissed Bo French’s campaign rhetoric as distracting from the Railroad Commission’s mission.