Texas Railroad Commissioner election, 2022 (May 24 Republican primary runoff)

Elections in Texas, 2022

• Runoff date: May 24, 2022
• Mail-in registration deadline: April 25, 2022
• Online registration deadline: N/A
• In-person registration deadline: April 25, 2022

• Early voting starts: May 16, 2022
• Early voting ends: May 20, 2022
• Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Absentee/mail-in voting deadline: May 24, 2022

---

On the ballot: U.S. House • Congressional special elections • Governor • Attorney General • State executive offices • State Senate • State House • Special state legislative • Supreme court • Appellate courts • State ballot measures • Local ballot measures • School boards • Municipal • Recalls • 

2024 → ← 2020
Texas Railroad Commissioner
Republican primary Republican primary runoff
Election details
Filing deadline: December 13, 2021
Primary: March 1, 2022 Primary runoff: May 24, 2022 General: November 8, 2022 Pre-election incumbent(s): Wayne Christian (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Texas
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2022 Impact of term limits in 2022 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2022
Texas executive elections
Governor Lieutenant Governor Attorney General Comptroller State Board of Education (15 seats) Agriculture Commissioner Public Lands Commissioner Railroad Commissioner

Incumbent Wayne Christian defeated attorney Sarah Stogner in the May 24 Republican primary runoff for the party's nomination for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission. Both candidates had advanced to the runoff because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the March 1 primary. In that primary, Christian received 47.1% of the vote and Stogner was second with 15.2%.

After Christian and Stogner advanced to a runoff, Jeremy Blackman of the Houston Chronicle wrote, "Railroad Commission elections are usually sleepy affairs, but the agency has been gaining renewed attention for its role in last year’s deadly winter storm. Critics have pointed to commissioners' close industry ties and loose oversight of pipeline operators and natural gas producers, which made billions during the freeze while gas power plants struggled to secure fuel." Before the runoff, Christian's campaign spokesman had told The Texas Tribune that "The choice in May couldn't be clearer: a pro-oil and gas businessman endorsed by virtually every conservative watchdog group and industry trade association, or a liberal lawyer that will increase regulations on the oil and gas industry."

Christian was originally elected to the commission in 2016, defeating Grady Yarbrough (D), 53% to 38%, for an open seat after David Porter did not seek re-election. He also served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1997 to 2013. His website listed endorsements from U.S. Sen Ted Cruz (R) and three members of Texas' delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. Christian's website described him as a businessman and said, "Throughout his first term, Christian developed a strong record of fighting against frivolous regulations and standing strong for free markets and American Energy Dominance."

Stogner said on her campaign website that she represented landowners, oil service companies, and oil and gas well operators for more than 15 years. She listed her top three priorities as "1. Putting Texans to work to provide clean, reliable, affordable energy; 2. Preventing federal intervention in Texas energy regulation (we can govern ourselves); 3. Helping establish global ESG (environmental, social, and governance) metrics and standards." Dawayne Tipton (R), who received 11.5% of the vote in the March 1 primary and finished fifth, endorsed Stogner in the runoff on March 2, 2022.

The commission does not regulate the railroad industry, but instead oversees the oil and gas business in Texas. The Railroad Commission has three members who are elected to six-year staggered terms such that one commissioner is up for election every two years. Heading into the election, the other two members of the Texas Railroad Commission were Christi Craddick (R) and James Wright (R).

Christian faced Luke Warford (D) in the Nov. 8 general election. Warford was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Sarah Stogner (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Click on a candidate's name to view that candidate's responses.

Click here for coverage of the March 1, 2022, Republican primary.

Candidates and election results

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission

Incumbent Wayne Christian defeated Sarah Stogner in the Republican primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission on May 24, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wayne Christian	65.0	574,573
		Sarah Stogner	35.0	308,859

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 883,432
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission

Incumbent Wayne Christian and Sarah Stogner advanced to a runoff. They defeated Tom Slocum Jr., Marvin Summers, and Dawayne Tipton in the Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 1, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Wayne Christian	47.4	775,679
✔		Sarah Stogner	15.0	244,949
		Tom Slocum Jr.	14.3	234,439
	Submit photo	Marvin Summers	11.9	194,099
		Dawayne Tipton	11.5	188,428

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,637,594
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Candidate comparison

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff compiled a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Wayne Christian

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

• Texas Railroad Commission (Assumed office: 2017) 
• Texas House of Representatives (1997-2013)

Biography:  Christian received a bachelor's degree in business from Stephen F. Austin University in 1973. He was a member of a country/gospel band that was a finalist for a Grammy Award in 1979. Christian's professional experience includes working in business, banking, and real estate and owning a financial services business.

---

Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

---

Christian said on his website that he has a record of fighting against unnecessary regulations and said he "believes all regulations should be consistent, predictable, and based on sound science."

---

Christian said that during his first term in office he has been "fighting against Biden Administration efforts like the Green New Deal, CLEAN Future Act, and the Paris Climate Agreement."

---

On his campaign website, Christian said, "A clean environment and a thriving oil and gas industry are not mutually exclusive."

---

Show sources

Sources: Wayne Christian 2022 campaign website, "About Wayne Christian," accessed March 11, 2022

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Texas Railroad Commission in 2022.

Sarah Stogner

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "I am an experienced oil and gas attorney focusing on bringing fair, predictable, and effective leadership to the Railroad Commission of Texas. We need to include all stakeholders (including operators, landowners, mineral owners, regulators, and the general public) at the table as we usher in the next era of Texas energy independence."

---

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

---

All Texans deserve access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.

---

Promote environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts across all energy sectors.

---

Include all stakeholders in long-term planning to protect Texas energy independence.

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Texas Railroad Commission in 2022.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Expand all | Collapse all

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Sarah Stogner (R)

All Texans deserve access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy.

Promote environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts across all energy sectors.

Include all stakeholders in long-term planning to protect Texas energy independence.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Sarah Stogner (R)

I am passionate about ensuring Texas remains an international leader in energy production. As a Texas Railroad Commissioner, I will serve our state by asking difficult questions and including all stakeholders to reach the answers together.

We need to responsibly develop natural resources without compromising the environment. How?

1. Oversee the development of the state’s energy resources while protecting public health and the environment through an effective regulatory program that allows for the orderly and efficient development of oil and gas resources.

2. Protect the environment and consumers by ensuring that fossil fuel extraction and energy production, storage, and delivery minimize harmful effects on the state’s natural resources.

3. Provide the public access to information and facilitate efficiencies with regulated industries through communications and technologies.

4. Regulating intrastate pipelines - the safest way to ensure Texans have access to affordable natural gas energy.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

Sarah Stogner (R)

The Railroad Commission has exclusive jurisdiction over most oil and gas operations in the State. The Texas oil and natural gas industry directly and indirectly supported over 2.5 million total jobs across the state's economy in 2019. Texas ranked as the state with the highest share of total economic contributions by the oil and natural gas industry, generating $411.6 billion toward the state's GDP - including $251.2 billion added to total labor income. Texans understand the essential nature of oil and natural gas, and this analysis confirms the indispensable role the industry plays in providing jobs and investment that benefits every community and all Texans; however, we cannot ignore the difficult issues facing our industry. We have to figure out where these earthquakes are coming from in the Permian Basin. We have to stop using freshwater for drilling and completing wells. We need to protect our groundwater from aging infrastructure. Our current regulators have ignored these problems for too long.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Sarah Stogner (R)

One of the reasons I'm running for office is because I'm struggling to find any elected officials who are role models. But I truly admire my 7 year old daughter who has inspired me to run. She isn't yet afraid of the world, or failure. She sees something she wants to achieve and she fights hard for it until she succeeds. I want to follow her example.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Sarah Stogner (R)

The movie Dark Waters - we need to make sure the large oil and gas companies are not allowed to put profit over doing the right thing.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Sarah Stogner (R)

Elected officials should not be career politicians. We need elected officials willing to make people angry and sacrifice "electability" for doing the right thing while in office.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Sarah Stogner (R)

Experienced lawyer with no long term interest in politics. I want to win this election and then effectuate change over the six year term and then leave politics.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Sarah Stogner (R)

To maintain Texas energy independence without sacrificing the health and welfare of Texans and the environment.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Sarah Stogner (R)

Unicorns do exist - never let people tell you that doing the right thing is impossible. I want to leave a legacy of beating the odds, helping facilitate difficult changes, and ushering in the next era of Texas energy independence.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Sarah Stogner (R)

One of my first vivid historical memories was when Princess Diana died. I was in middle school and was at a friend's house for a slumber party.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Sarah Stogner (R)

I have been working since I turned 16 and was able to drive myself. In high school I worked at a sandwich shop and the Gap. In college I worked as a receptionist at a law firm. This confirmed my love for the law and desire to attend law school.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Sarah Stogner (R)

I don't think I can pick just one, but some recent favorites include the Psychology of Money, Freakanomics, A Rock Between Two Rivers, Untamed, and the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Sarah Stogner (R)

None - I love being me.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Sarah Stogner (R)

I went to Disney World with my family for Christmas, and still have "It's a small world after all" stuck in my head 5 days later!

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Sarah Stogner (R)

I've lived a very blessed life, but my dad is an aerospace engineer so we moved a lot when I was growing up. So if I have to name a struggle, it's the constant change that comes with moving frequently.

What responsibilities of this office do you personally consider the most important?

Sarah Stogner (R)

Protecting the environment and people's access to clean water without crippling the energy sector.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

Sarah Stogner (R)

Most Texans don't understand what the Railroad Commission does - the name is antiquated since the agency no longer has any control over the railroads.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Sarah Stogner (R)

No - I think the problem with 2 out of 3 of the current officials is that they are career politicians. We need industry experts willing to take a deep dive into the complicated issues facing the industry.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Sarah Stogner (R)

A broad understanding of statutes and regulations applicable to oil and gas operations in the state and the ability to tell large corporate campaign donors that they have to follow the same rules as everyone else. Landowners and the general public have been left out of the conversation for too long - resulting in crony capitalism.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Sarah Stogner (R)

Oh man - I love a good pun. Impossible to pick just one!

What did the ocean say to the beach?

Nothing - it just waved.

Campaign advertisements

Wayne Christian

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Wayne Christian while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.

Sarah Stogner

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Sarah Stogner while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.

Endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.

• Wayne Christian

Election competitiveness

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from FiveThirtyEight and RealClearPolitics, when available. No polls were available for this election. To notify us of polls published in this election, please email us.

Election spending

Campaign finance

The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates’ loan totals, if any, by clicking “View More” in the table below and learn more about this data here.

News and conflicts in this primary

This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 Republican attorney general primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.

• Heart of the Primaries 2022, Republicans-Issue 11 (February 24, 2022)

Past elections

2020

See also: Texas Railroad Commissioner election, 2020

General election

General election for Texas Railroad Commission

James Wright defeated Chrysta Castañeda, Matt Sterett, and Katija Gruene in the general election for Texas Railroad Commission on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Wright (R)	53.0	5,831,263
		Chrysta Castañeda (D)	43.6	4,792,422
		Matt Sterett (L)	2.3	247,659
	Submit photo	Katija Gruene (G)	1.2	129,638

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,000,982
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission

Chrysta Castañeda defeated Roberto Alonzo in the Democratic primary runoff for Texas Railroad Commission on July 14, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chrysta Castañeda	62.0	579,698
		Roberto Alonzo	38.0	355,053

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 934,751
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas Railroad Commission

Chrysta Castañeda and Roberto Alonzo advanced to a runoff. They defeated Kelly Stone and Mark Watson in the Democratic primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Chrysta Castañeda	33.8	598,638
✔		Roberto Alonzo	28.7	506,748
		Kelly Stone	21.7	383,453
		Mark Watson	15.8	279,911

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,768,750
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission

James Wright defeated incumbent Ryan Sitton in the Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		James Wright	55.3	991,593
		Ryan Sitton	44.7	801,904

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,793,497
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Green convention

Green convention for Texas Railroad Commission

Katija Gruene advanced from the Green convention for Texas Railroad Commission on April 18, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Katija Gruene (G)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Texas Railroad Commission

Matt Sterett defeated Charlie Stevens in the Libertarian convention for Texas Railroad Commission on August 3, 2020.

		Candidate
✔		Matt Sterett (L)
		Charlie Stevens (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2018

See also: Texas Railroad Commissioner election, 2018

General election

General election for Texas Railroad Commission

Incumbent Christi Craddick defeated Roman McAllen and Mike Wright in the general election for Texas Railroad Commission on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christi Craddick (R)	53.2	4,376,729
		Roman McAllen (D)	43.9	3,612,130
	Submit photo	Mike Wright (L)	2.9	237,984

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,226,843
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• George Reiter (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Texas Railroad Commission

Roman McAllen defeated Chris Spellmon in the Democratic primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Roman McAllen	58.5	535,855
		Chris Spellmon	41.5	380,091

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 915,946
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission

Incumbent Christi Craddick defeated Weston Martinez in the Republican primary for Texas Railroad Commission on March 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christi Craddick	75.8	1,036,964
		Weston Martinez	24.2	330,407

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,367,371
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Texas Railroad Commission election, 2016

General election

Wayne Christian defeated Grady Yarbrough, Mark Miller, and Martina Salinas in the Texas railroad commission election.

Texas Railroad Commission, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Wayne Christian	53.07%	4,648,841
	Democratic	Grady Yarbrough	38.38%	3,362,041
	Libertarian	Mark Miller	5.28%	462,251
	Green	Martina Salinas	3.28%	287,105
Total Votes				8,760,238
Source: Texas Secretary of State

Primary elections

Texas Railroad Commission, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Gary Gates	28.4%	586,846
Wayne Christian	19.7%	408,056
Ron Hale	14.7%	303,847
Lance Christian	12.1%	250,523
Weston Martinez	10.1%	208,710
Doug Jeffrey	9.3%	192,999
John Greytok	5.7%	117,125
Total Votes		2,068,106
Election results via Texas Secretary of State.

Texas Railroad Commission, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Grady Yarbrough	39.9%	434,532
Cody Garrett	35.2%	383,121
Lon Burnam	24.8%	270,323
Total Votes		1,087,976
Election results via Texas Secretary of State.

Primary runoff elections

Texas Railroad Commission, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Wayne Christian	51.1%	192,217
Gary Gates	48.9%	184,170
Total Votes		376,387
Election results via Texas Secretary of State.

Texas Railroad Commission, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Grady Yarbrough	53.8%	101,466
Cody Garrett	46.2%	87,126
Total Votes		188,592
Election results via Texas Secretary of State.

Noteworthy events

Campaign contribution to Christian detailed in lawsuit

Christian responded to a February 4, 2022, article in The Odessa American regarding a lawsuit that two property owners near an oilfield waste repository site filed earlier this year challenging the commission’s approval of the project. The suit argues that High Roller Environmental did not properly notify nearby property owners before seeking project approval from the commission.

Christian was one of two commissioners who approved the project on Dec. 8, 2020. In response to the lawsuit, Christian told the Texas Monthly via email that “the Railroad Commission’s general counsel advised him to approve the permit as long as the facility used a modern clay liner, which it did.”

The Odessa American’s report said that Christian’s campaign received a $100,000 contribution from HR Environmental on Dec. 11, 2020, and included a quote from an attorney that filed the lawsuit questioning the appropriateness of the contribution. In response, Christain said, “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."

Candidate releases topless video on TikTok

Sarah Stogner released a TikTok video in February 2022 where she appeared on a piece of oil pumping equipment topless and in her underwear with the caption, "They said I needed money. I have other assets," along with a laughing emoji. Stogner said the video was meant to draw attention to the importance of the office and the dangers of groundwater pollution, telling television station KBTX in Bryan, Texas, "I’ve been jumping up and down for years. Trying to do it the traditional way of being nice and proper, wearing my Sunday School dress, and saying would Jesus want us to let our groundwater be polluted, and no one seemed to listen or care. Here’s the naked truth, guys. We’ve got some very uncomfortable things we need to talk about. Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s get dressed and get to work."

The San Antonio Express-News endorsed Stogner in the railroad commissioner primary on February 11, 2022, but withdrew their endorsement after the video and instead gave their support to Dawayne Tipton.

State profile

Demographic data for Texas
	Texas	U.S.
Total population:	27,429,639	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	261,232	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	74.9%	73.6%
Black/African American:	11.9%	12.6%
Asian:	4.2%	5.1%
Native American:	0.5%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	38.4%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	81.9%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	27.6%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$53,207	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	19.9%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Texas

Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Texas, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Texas had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.

More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Texas
• United States congressional delegations from Texas
• Public policy in Texas
• Endorsers in Texas
• Texas fact checks
• More...

2022 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This election was a battleground race. Other 2022 battleground elections included:

• Michigan's 12th Congressional District election, 2022 (August 2 Democratic primary)
• North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2022
• Oregon's 5th Congressional District election, 2022
• Texas' 15th Congressional District election, 2022 (May 24 Democratic primary runoff)
• United States Senate election in Iowa, 2022 (June 7 Democratic primary)

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Texas railroad commission official website

Footnotes

State executive offices

Offices

Governor • Lt. Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Schools • Insurance Commissioner • Controller • Agriculture Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commissioner

States

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Elections

2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010

Features

Chart of state executive officers • Compensation • How gubernatorial vacancies are filled • How vacancies are filled in state executive offices • State executive officials serving in home states • State government trifectas • State of the state addresses • Term limits

Ballotpedia

About

Overview • What people are saying • Support Ballotpedia • Contact • Contribute • Job opportunities

---

Executive: Leslie Graves, Founder and CEO • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer

Communications: Alison Graves, Director of Communications • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Frank Festa • Sarah Groat • Nathaniel Harwood • Dillon Redmond • Erica Shumaker
External Relations: Geoff Pallay, Director of External Relations • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Ashley Fleming • Thomas Mardik • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski, Director of Operations • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Tech: Matt Latourelle, Director of Technology Operations • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Joseph Sanchez • Mary Susmitha

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen

---

Editorial Content

Josh Altic, Director of Content • Daniel Anderson, Associate Director of Elections & Data • Cory Eucalitto, Associate Director of Features • Ryan Byrne, Managing Editor of Ballot Measures • Mandy McConnell, Managing Editor of News • Doug Kronaizl, Managing Editor of Local Expansion • Abbey Smith, Managing Editor of Elections • Janie Valentine, Managing Editor of Law • Joel Williams. Managing Editor of Events • Andrew Bahl • Jaclyn Beran • Marielle Bricker • Joseph Brusgard • Emma Burlingame • Kelly Coyle • Jon Dunn • Thomas Ellis • Nicole Fisher • Joseph Greaney • Thomas Grobben • Brianna Hosea • Molly Kehoe • Tyler King • Glorie Martinez • Norm Leahy, Senior Editor • Nathan Maxwell • Jimmy McAllister • Brandon McCauley • Ellie Mikus • Ellen Morrissey • Mackenzie Murphy • Kaley Platek • Samantha Post • Adam Powell • Annelise Reinwald • Ethan Rice • Spencer Richardson • Victoria Rose • Briana Ryan • Myj Saintyl • Maddy Salucka • Emma Soukup • Alexis Thacker • Mina Vogel • Samuel Wonacott • Trenton Woodcox