Sarah will make sure Texas operators can utilize the latest technology to tackle the toughest operational hurdles. * Incumbent. Christian was up first and talked about how Texas has exported liquified natural gas to help Europe during its energy crisis following Russias invasion of Ukraine, the importance of oil and gas to the nations economy and how Democrats are trying to abolish the industry in the name of slowing climate change. So lets put our clothes on and talk about the issues, she added. . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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 Railroad Commission of Texas Look Back at a Year of Achievements and Growth for the RRC in 2022 Year in Review Publication Christi Craddick Chairman Wayne Christian Commissioner Jim Wright Commissioner Recent Announcement RRC Online General Maintenance Sunday February 24, 2023 Read More Announcements Railroad Commission of Texas Christian was the top choice of 9% of registered voters in that poll, with the other candidates receiving between 3% and 5%. I didnt have any grand schemes with it. Christians financial ties to industry have also come under fire. Stogners seminude stunt is only the latest twist in what has become the strangest Republican primary campaign for Railroad Commission in decades. Two is decreasing our utility prices because Texas is the energy capital of the world. Texas Lege Watch: A House Republican Fights for Chicken Freedom, Inside the Karaoke Bar Where Texas Lawmakers Serenade Each Other. Can College Sports Get More Absurd Than SMU Joining the Pac-12? Summers name will still be on the ballot, too, because he died too close to election day to change the ballots. There is no office that is more corrupt than the Texas Railroad Commission, Warford says. In the increasingly blue Harris County, more Republicans voted early (105,482) than Democrats (96,725). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Chairman is chosen by the Commissioners. This vitally important election of one of the states top energy regulators will have a significant impact on whether Texass natural gas infrastructure freezes up again and contributes to widespread blackouts, as it did a year ago. I think they are doing the bidding of a very small number of oil and gas executives. One Commissioner position is on the ballot every two years. 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.. All rights reserved. Q: What would be your top priorities in another term as railroad commissioner? 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. Policy-wise, Warford supports renaming the commission so it makes sense to voters, creating a natural gas market monitor to guard against price gouging, increasing the weatherization of gas infrastructure, and reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions from Texas fossil fuel operations. The two main contenders in this year's race for commissioner are incumbent Republican Wayne Christian and Democrat Luke Warford. In order to keep the power grid from total collapse, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas directed transmission companies to cut off power to residents, businesses and gas producing facilities because they were not registered as critical infrastructure part of a cascade of power failures that led to hundreds of deaths. Im going to have to stew on it.. The incumbent, Railroad Commission Chair Wayne Christian, is facing corruption allegations 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. Email: Wayne@ChristianForTexas.com Phone: (936) 598-8183 204 Houston St. Center, Texas 75935 Pol. Texas Railroad Commissioner election, 2022 (March 1 Republican primary) Elections in Texas, 2022 Primary date: March 1 Mail-in registration deadline: Jan. 31 Online reg. In order to manage the Texas economy, they want to help and nurture a healthy petroleum industry., I dont think Wayne Christian and the current Railroad commissioners are supporting the industry as a whole, Warford says. Forrest Wilder writes about politics and the outdoors. Then she pivoted to the 2021 winter storm that left millions without power for days and caused hundreds of deaths after a combination of freezing temperatures across the state and skyrocketing demand for energy shut down power plants as well as the natural gas facilities that supply them with fuel. 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. Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke hosts a rally at Fair Park in Dallas after announcing his campaign, on Nov. 21, 2021. Ive been trying. 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. Umm, its tough, Hommel said. I want to talk about groundwater. Texas Governor Race; Texas Lieutenant Governor Race 2022; Texas Attorney General Race 2022; Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts; Stogner, who lives on a ranch in Monahans, west of Odessa, said Christian is a politician bought and controlled by donors. He has no oil and gas experience he won on a pro-life platform because thats what primary voters cared about in 2016, Stogner said. But I am, and have I got your attention now? Get Involved Were angry that I got half-naked on a pumpjack? MENU. The number of rejected ballots in Harris County alone has surpassed the statewide total during the 2020 general election. The U.S. will hold its midterm elections on Nov. 8. Race called by The Associated Press. 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. Slocum is hoping his support of conservative priorities top issues on his campaign website include building the border wall and protecting gun ownership, issues the Railroad Commission has no jurisdiction over and his years of experience working in oil and gas operations and plugging abandoned oil wells will help propel him over the incumbent. In Texas, voters will elect officials for seven statewide seats governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner, comptroller and one of three seats on the Railroad Commission. 2021 Texas Standard. We dont let that hope die, because we know we deserve so much better.. . No. Updated: Sep 26, 2022 / 12:31 PM CDT AUSTIN (KXAN) The Democrat running to unseat the Republican chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas announced an endorsement Monday from the. Christian graduated from high school as valedictorian, and went on to graduate from Stephen F. Austin State University with a B.B.A. Democrat Attorney General candidates are in the same boat. Interviews are granted to candidates who visit Odessa and submit a request to be interviewed. And for them, its totally reasonable to require them to weatherize and thats where I would focus as a commissioner.. 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. (Christian did not respond to KUTs request for an interview.). Christian said he has never allowed a political contribution to influence my decisions in elected office and said the agencys general counsel advised him to approve the permit for the waste facility with the requirement that the company use a geosynthetic clay liner to protect the environment and remain consistent with other similar permits granted by the Commission. , I am running a positive campaign based on my record, Christian said in the email. 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. We expect candidates for public office to model civil discourse and decorum worthy of the publics trust. During his time in the House, Christian was a leader for the conservative renaissance in the State of Texas and successfully assisted in the fight to elect a Republican majority in the Texas Legislature. Chip Gaines Bought Larry McMurtrys Historic Texas Bookstore. The board members serve staggered, six-year terms. Despite the old-timey-sounding name, a seat on the Railroad Commission of Texas has been called one of the most consequential climate-related offices in the country. Q for Warford: What is your response to criticism from your opponent, who is describing you as a left-wing extremist? Suggest a missing candidate here. More than a year after the winter freeze, the Railroad Commission hasnt crafted rules for how oil and gas companies should prepare for extreme weather. (9,748 / 9,748) Since taking office, Commissioner Christian has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) as the Official Representative of Texas. In the case of a vacancy, the Governor appoints a replacement. Sure, the Stogner post was clickbait. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. 100% of Precincts Reporting. Cheers broke out for the first time at Jessica Cisneros watch party, as the large screens flashed results showing her with her just above 50 percent in the 28th Congressional District. Updated Mar. By Carla Astudillo Published: Aug. 23, 2022 Updated: Sept. 27, 2022. Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian is seeking his second term on the Texas Railroad Commission but faces three challengers in the GOP primary next week. Candidates for 2020 Texas Railroad Commissioner. To me, the most astonishing thing about the Texas primaries is that in 2020 there were more than a dozen competitive House districts in the state. The Campaign to Sabotage Texass Public Schools. Christian: We have made sure as Senate Bill three allowed, that we work together with PUC, which regulates electricity and ERCOT, weve worked with them to make sure that we are communicating at all times, that there are emergency factors in place, that there are no walls between agencies to protect the public and provide the maximum support during any type of emergency action such as cold or hot., Warford: We need to focus on the producers that are producing the most and are most important for our system. Warford is a former business consultant and Democratic Party staffer who wants to be the first Democrat on the commission since 1994, when Mary Scott Nabers lost to Carole Keeton Rylander. May 11, 20225 AM Central. The RRC also has oversight over Texas energy industries and enforces related state and federal laws. Compare the candidates policies, political views, popularity ratings, and latest public opinion polling. Since taking office, Commissioner Christian has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) as the Official Representative of Texas. When he ran for the Senate four years ago, Democrat Beto ORourke won just 61 percent in the primary. Another candidate, Marvin Sarge Summers, died earlier this month on the campaign trail after crashing into a tanker truck in Midland. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission ofiSideWith.com. deadline: N/A In-person reg. Teen arrested regarding fentanyl overdose death, The story of 12 students who integrated ATX schools, How to get to Q2 Stadium for 2023 Austin FC season, PHOTOS: Some of Austins most modern homes, Cities offer free tree, brush disposals post-storm, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Election 2022: Statewide races Here are the 2022 candidates running for statewide executive and judicial offices. When Stogner announced her endorsement of Warford in late September, she called him not a typical Democrat and pragmatic and pro-business.. 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. 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. Show us with your support. Last week, Stogner told KENS 5: I want to put my clothes back on and have a serious conversation. In the last fundraising period, Warford outraised Christian 3:1 and has $318,059 cash on hand compared to Christians $181,412 war chest. The oil and gas industry and the Railroad Commission have a huge impact on Texans clean air and clean water and the environment.. She hammered Christian and his fellow commissioners for failing to ensure that the states natural gas pipelines didnt fail during the extended subfreezing weather.