Railroad Commission

The Railroad Commission of Texas has been called one of the most consequential climate-related offices in the country. Democrat Luke Warford is challenging incumbent Wayne Christian for his seat.

The Republican primary contest between challenger Sarah Stogner and incumbent Wayne Christian has been characterized by twists and turns, accusations of corruption and some light nudity.

Sarah Stogner says she took the money from a rich friend because she thinks she has a chance of winning the Republican nomination. She initially ran just to make a statement.

Unlike in February, the supply disruption did not translate into problems for the electric grid. But, energy experts say, it shows Texas has more work to do to safeguard its energy infrastructure against weather-related blackouts.

The report highlights how oil and gas regulators at the Railroad Commission of Texas have a financial stake in the very companies they regulate.

After February's deadly power outages, new legislation would mandate winterizing parts of the state's energy system. But lawmakers took a pass on major market reforms to make the grid more resilient.

Inadequate gas supply was a major reason for the crisis, but you wouldn’t know it by listening to many state lawmakers debating bills to address it. As the session winds down, it's unclear if they will ensure gas infrastructure is weatherized to withstand the next big freeze.