An endorsement list distributed Monday by the Texas Oil and Gas Association was silent on the most consequential race for the state’s oil and gas industry.
But a new list of TXOGA’s preferred candidates did not mention the pivotal race. President Donald Trump also did not include French in his social media posts plugging a long list of Republican candidates in Texas.
The snubs come as French faces widespread scrutiny over his comments deriding various ethnic and religious groups in Texas, raising the prospect that his Democratic opponent Jon Rosenthal, a sitting state representative, could win the statewide race.
A Democrat hasn’t held a seat on the Railroad Commission since 1994.
TXOGA and French could not be immediately reached for comment. TXOGA represents some of Houston’s largest oil companies, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron.
Reached Tuesday, Rosenthal said French’s absence from TXOGA’s endorsement list “speaks for itself.”
“French does not seem to reflect the values that our industry forwards,” Rosenthal told the Chronicle. “I was surprised when they endorsed him in the first place.”
Karr Ingham, president of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, which represents smaller oil and gas firms, said his group does not endorse candidates. That said, he said Rosenthal has been more proactive about engaging with the group than is historically true for Democratic candidates.
“There’s a reasonable chance he may win that race,” Ingham said.
