Dan Patrick Endorses Mayes Middleton for Texas AG, Backs Jim Wright in Railroad Commission Runoff
Why It Matters
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s endorsements carry significant weight in Republican primaries, and his decisions to back specific candidates in two high-stakes May runoffs could reshape the state’s top law enforcement office and the agency that regulates its dominant oil and gas industry.
What Happened
Patrick, the state’s second-highest elected official, announced Tuesday he is supporting state Sen. Mayes Middleton in the Republican primary runoff for Texas attorney general. Middleton, a Galveston Republican and oil and gas businessman, is facing U.S. Rep. Chip Roy ahead of the May 26 contest.
In a separate endorsement, Patrick also backed Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright in his runoff against Bo French, a GOP activist and energy investor who has drawn repeated criticism from fellow Republicans over inflammatory public statements.
Patrick praised Middleton on social media as one of the most conservative members of the Texas Senate, where Middleton has served since 2023 under Patrick’s leadership as the chamber’s presiding officer. Patrick described Wright as possessing the experience necessary to lead the agency that oversees the state’s oil and gas sector during a period of elevated energy prices and market volatility.
By the Numbers
- May 26: Date of the GOP runoffs for attorney general and Railroad Commission
- 9 points: Middleton’s lead over Roy among likely voters in a statewide poll released the same day as the endorsements
- 2023: The year Middleton joined the Texas Senate
- 3 seats: The number of positions on the Texas Railroad Commission; French is seeking one of them
The Roy and French Campaigns
Roy, an Austin-area congressman known for challenging Republican leadership in Washington on spending and other fiscal issues, entered the attorney general race as the frontrunner. He has since seen his advantage narrow against Middleton’s self-funded campaign operation.
French, the former Tarrant County Republican Party chair, drew public rebuke from Patrick last summer after posting a social media poll asking whether Jewish or Muslim Americans posed a greater threat to the country. Patrick at the time called for French’s resignation, stating that antisemitism and religious bigotry have no place in Texas. French subsequently stepped down as party chair to run for the Railroad Commission.
French has centered his Railroad Commission campaign on opposition to what he describes as the “Islamification” of Texas, pledging to halt what he characterizes as an “Islamic invasion” and to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at the agency.
Wright, his opponent, distanced himself from that framing Tuesday while acknowledging he shares concerns about cultural and immigration trends. In a public statement, Wright argued the Railroad Commission has no authority to address such matters, writing that French appears confused about the constitutional scope of the office he is seeking. Wright noted that Texas oil and gas operations are governed by state and federal law — not, as he put it, by religious legal codes or out-of-state authority.
Zoom Out
The Texas attorney general and Railroad Commission races reflect broader Republican primary dynamics playing out across the country, where ideological positioning, self-funding capacity, and high-profile endorsements often determine outcomes more than traditional campaign infrastructure. Similar dynamics are visible in other state-level legal and regulatory races, including contested court vacancies where party endorsements are reshaping the judicial landscape.
The Railroad Commission runoff also illustrates ongoing tensions within the Republican Party over how far candidates can push culturally charged rhetoric before it becomes a liability with mainstream primary voters and party leaders.
What’s Next
Both runoffs are scheduled for May 26. The winners will face Democratic opponents in November’s general election. The attorney general’s office, currently held by Ken Paxton, is one of the most prominent statewide posts in Texas, with broad authority over consumer protection, law enforcement coordination, and legal challenges to federal policy — an area of growing relevance as states navigate federal immigration enforcement priorities.