Jon Rosenthal is projected to win the Texas Railroad Commission seat, defeating Republican nominee Bo French, according to NBC News. Multiple outlets also report that French concedes after the results show Rosenthal ahead.
The campaign drew national attention after French faced backlash within the Republican Party over remarks related to University of Texas at Austin students of South Asian descent. NBC News highlights that fellow Republicans criticized him for inflammatory comments. The Hill similarly emphasizes that prominent state Republicans withdrew support following the social media posts.
Other coverage frames the win as a shift after Republican control, with Times of India describing it as a breakthrough for Democrats and linking the election to a broader anti-India controversy. Times of India also says Rosenthal’s approach includes implementing stricter oversight for the oil and gas industry and references his background, while other sources focus more narrowly on the race result and the controversy around French.
