October 1st, 2026 Len’s Political Note #843 Sweep Texas. Add: Jon Rosenthal RR Commission
2026 General Election
Jon Rosenthal grew up in Austin – a city about which people are divided. Is it really part of Texas or not? It is the state capital and the home of the flagship campus of the University of Texas. But somehow, it is different from the rest of the state.
Jon Rosenthal’s dad was a math professor at the University of Texas. His mom, Maryon Nagles-Gonzaelz, was a cosmetics sales director. She was a migrant to Texas – from Boston. Jon Rosenthal graduated from the University of Texas with a BS in mechanical engineering. Twenty-five years later, in 2016, while in the midst of a career as a engineering manager in the oil and gas industry, he earned a certificate in Subsea Engineering. His passion, as an engineer, has been ensuring safety and honesty. He might say that the current Commission has spent years allowing people to fudge data, creating conditions where ordinary employees and consumers pay the price for corporations saving money.
In 2018, he defeated a 12-term incumbent Republican for Texas House of Representatives. Since the Texas Railroad Commission actually regulates the oil and gas industry in the state, his experience in the industry and in politics is a perfect combination for the Democratic candidate for Commissioner.
Jon Rosenthal recalls the power failures of Winter Storm Uri, which he describes as having been caused by gas supply failures. He would ban industry donations to Commissioners and change the name to the Texas Energy Commission so it reflects its real purpose. He has a variety of recommendations that would reduce costs, reduce pollution of the air and groundwater, would make the electrical system more reliable. If elected, he would be the only one of the three commissioners who knows the industry through working in it.
The Republican candidate, Bo French, is a particularly unlovely creature. After the University of Texas’ football team’s fourth quarter victory over Ohio State, he posted a photograph of South Asian students in the stands celebrating the victory and complained that the “problem [of too many non-white students] is obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”
Bo French’s experience in the industry is as an energy trader. His primary campaign, in which is ousted an incumbent, was focused on opposing Sharia Law and diversity policies. For his general election campaign, he posted a photograph of Jon Rosenthal wearing a face mask say “Protect Trans kids.” French asked “Do you think [my opponent] is going to make the oil and gas industry stronger?” And he smeared, citing Jon Rosenthal’s support of a Pride Parade, stating his opponent “never misses a chance to indoctrinate kids and celebrate degeneracy.” Too clean up America, Bo French called for the deportation of 100 million people.
A September poll by Texas Southern University found Bo French leading Jon Rosenthal 44-42, slightly better than an August poll when French led 45-41. DONATE to Jon Rosenthal’s campaign. Let’s sweep Texas.
More competitive races.
US Senator: James Talarico is a Democratic state rep who is also a Presbyterian seminarian. A former middle school teacher and head of an education non-profit, his focus in the legislature was education, childcare, and support for training young people for the work force. In his campaign for the US Senate, he has demonstrated a kind of mastery that the best middle school teachers have – of responding to negative comments with a positive twist, with confidence that he is in control of the room. That quality, as much as his views that include support for legalizing marijuana, for universal child care, for rolling back the huge tax cuts for the wealthy, for an “all of the above” energy policy, and for a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians has given Democrats hope they can achieve the first elected Democratic US Senator since Lloyd Bentsen. With your help he can defeat the indicted and impeached Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. DONATE See Len’s Political Note #795
Governor: Gina Hinojosa is a Democratic state rep who grew up in South Texas and represents Austin. She is the daughter of a South Texas politician. She opposed the current voucher and state testing programs, called for a pause in the construction of data centers, and would suspend the Texas gas tax to deal with the high cost of gasoline during the Iran War. She is vastly outraised in her campaign. The incumbent has $67 million on hand; she has a million. Nevertheless, this is a competitive race. The most recent polls (all from September) include Governor Gregg Abbot leading 49-45 and 49-46 and Gina Hinojosa leading 49-45. DONATE to her campaign. See Len’s Political Note #778
Lt. Governor: State Rep Vikki Goodwin is a state Rep from the Austin area. She has focused on children’s issues and is considered to be progressive. She has opposed school vouchers and supported universal background checks for gun owners. Lt. Governor is a powerful position in Texas, controlling legislative committee membership among other powers. The incumbent Dan Patrick is running for his fourth term in the role. A former sportscaster and conservative radio host, hr is an opponent of abortion, a supporter of increasing the number of charter schools and of gun rights. Two polls have been reported for September. In one, Vikki Goodwin led 47-46. In another, Dan Patrick led by 6 points. DONATE to Vikki Goodwin’s campaign.
Attorney General: State Senator Nathan Johnson is running for an open seat against State Senator and heir to the Middleton Oil fortune Mayes Middleton. Nathan Johnson defeated incumbent Don Huffines to win his state senate seat. A former business attorney and a part-time composer, Nathan Johnson has focused on expanding medical care. In the State Senate, Middleton has chaired the Texas Freedom Caucus. A September poll has Mayes leading 40-35 with an unusually large number of undecided. DONATE to Nathan Johnson. See Len’s Political Note #831.
Comptroller: State Senator Sarah Eckhardt is serving her third term as a Democratic State Senator representing Travis County where she was the first woman to serve as County Judge (Executive). She is proud of balancing the budget, lowering taxes, and leading the county in dealing with more than one natural disaster. After losing his state senate seat, Don Huffines was appointed Acting Comptroller to fill a vacancy. Now he has to get elected to the job. In the most recent poll, which was in August, he led Sarah Eckhardt 43-41. DONATE to Sarah Eckhardt’s campaign.
Land Commissioner: Bay City Councilor Ben Flores is running against incumbent Republican Dawn Buckingham. An immigrant from Mexico, a job repairing a hotel computer network led him to a 30-year career in cybersecurity and to election as a Bay City Councilor in the Houston-Galveston area. Buckingham is a seventh generation Texan and medical doctor in the Austin area. The story is that after hearing a lecture by a UT professor in which he criticized Lt. Gov Dan Patrick’s response to the opioid crisis, she informed her ally the Lt. Governor. Within hours, the professor received a formal censure from the UT Medical Branch. Buckingham led in an August poll 44-40. DONATE to Ben Flores in his campaign to oversee Texas’s management of its public lands and the resources that are a product of those lands.
Agriculture Commissioner: Rancher Clayton Tucker works at the family ranch in Lampasas. He proposes to stop the construction of data centers, to protect water resources, and to protect the right of farmers to grow hemp. Republican Nate Sheets is a veteran who, he claims, has built the #1 brand of honey from a backyard beehive. He would emulate Donald Trump, but make it Texas First. A September poll had Sheets leading Clayton Tucker 45 – 39. That is not quite as close as the other Commissioner races, but reachable for the Democrat. DONATE to Clayton Tucker’s campaign.
Congressional Races
Texas 15 Tejano Musician Bobby Pulido opposes Republican incumbent Monica de la Cruz, in one of three Texas districts Nate Silver identified as among the closest in the country. Wins by the Texas Democrats in this list would counteract Texas’s Trump induced redistricting. A well-known and well-liked musician, Bobby Pulido is a moderate Democrat, very nearly an independent. He includes the following couplet in his website: He’s not Team Red. He’s not Team Blue/South Texas, He is Team You. Former realtor Monica de la Cruz may be more Team Me and My Friends. She earmarked $2.4 million for her friend’s Angels of Love Advocacy Project and was set for a joint press conference when Della Fay Perez was arrested, charged with obtaining $500,000 in a Ponzi scheme. Both a July poll and an August poll had Bobby Pulido leading by six points. He is trailing in the financial race. He had $1.6 million available on June 30. De la Cruz had $2.5 million available. DONATE to Bobby Pulido’s campaign. Help him keep his lead. See Len’s Political Note #796.
Texas 23 Attorney Katy Padilla Stout. was a teacher and now has a law practice in which she primarily represents children in the foster care system. Her political focus is making the economy fairer – through fixes in the tax system, the medical system, and support for the needy. The Republican incumbent, Tony Gonzalez, withdrew after it became known that an aide with whom he had an affair committed suicide. The other Republican in the run off and now the nominee is Brandon Herrera. He is a shocking candidate for Congress. Often described as a gun manufacturer, he is more of a celebrity-like activist who glorifies guns and hatred. He created a video in 2023 that “recreated” and, perhaps, celebrated the assassination of Martin Luther King. A member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, he advertised the organization’s annual “Yankee shoot.” Criticized for his use of Nazi songs and weaponry, for describing a German submachine gun as “the original Ghetto blaster,” he responded by saying that it “should be obvious,…I am not, nor ever have been, a neo-Nazi.” That response leaves open the possibility that he considers himself to be an actual Nazi. This race is among Nate Silver’s closest races in the country. Alarmingly, though it is quite a while ago, in a March poll Herrera led Katy Padilla Stout by 2 points. Herrera had $300,000 on June 30. Katy Padilla Stout had $200,000. If you are going to donate to any of the candidates in this group, DONATE to Katy Padilla Stout. You will be doing the country a service.
Texas 28 Incumbent Henry Cuellar knows how to make Donald Trump angry. In 2025, Trump pardoned Henry Cuellar for what were serious charges – money laundering, bribery, conspiracy from his dealings with Azerbaijan. Based on an off-hand remark expressing surprise, Trump thought Henry Cuellar would retire in exchange for the pardon. No such luck for the President. Henry Cuellar is running for reelection – touting his bipartisan approach to legislation and his capacity to bring resources to South Texas no matter which party is in control of Congress. He has an opponent – Webb County Judge (county executive) Tano Tijerina. Tijerina switched parties after Trump was elected President again in 2024. Now a Republican, Tijerina argues that Henry Cuellar does not bring as many resources to South Texas as he claims. This is a contest for which Congressman will become Speaker. Support Hakeem Jeffries; DONATE to Henry Cuellar.
Texas 34 Incumbent Vicente Gonzalez is running in a district Cook considers a Toss-up. Vicente Gonzalez is a business-oriented Congressman who had moved from Texas 15 to Texas 34 to find a more welcoming electorate. He touts his votes to make life more affordable – among them extension of the child tax credit and making it illegal for insurers to charge older people more than others. He also touts his support for infrastructure – from LNG permits to deepening waterways to building roads and bridges. Vicente Gonzalez’Republican opponent is army veteran Eric Flores. Flores’ ties himself to national Republicans– probably not a good year for that as people are beginning to recognize their health insurance losses and as they have been horrified by ICE’s treatment of undocumented and documented Hispanic immigrants. The only recent poll, a poll in August had Vicente Gonzalez ahead by 3 points. Vicente Gonzalez had $2.5 million on June 30. To Eric Flores’ $700,000. DONATE to Vicente Gonzalez’ campaign. Keem him ahead of his Republican opponent.
Texas 35 Johnny Garcia Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer is another Democrat Nate Silver identifies as being in one of the country’s closest races. Johnny Garcia won the Democratic run off after receiving national support to defeat extremist Maureen Galindo, who horrified Democrats around the country by calling for the castration and internment of Zionists in just one of her anti-Semitic remarks. Johnny Garcia is the Public Information Officer for the Bexar County Sheriff’s office where he has worked since he was 21. He says that public safety is more than tough talk, it means making kids feel safe in school, ensuring access to health care for families, and providing communities with affordable housing and economic opportunity. His Republican opponent, Air Force Vet Carlos de la Cruz is the Texas 15 incumbent’s brother. He describes himself as a Texas Trump Conservative. There are no polls for this district election. Financially, these two candidates are evenly matched. De la Cruz had a little less than $300,000 on June 30; Johnny Garcia had a little more than $300,000. DONATE to Johnny Garcia. It could make a difference.
State Legislature. Democrats will not flip the Texas House and Senate anytime soon.
State Senate.
The Texas State Senate has 31 seats. Right now, there are 18 Republicans, 12 Democrats, and a single vacancy. It would be great to flip four seats in the State Senate. Right now I can recommend s focus on two and one of those is already Democratic by virtue of a special election early in 2026.
TXSD 09. Democrat Taylor Rehmet won a special election in early 2026 when the incumbent resigned from this Fort Worth area district to become the Acting Comptroller for the state. The district had consistently elected Republicans, is 43% white, 35% Hispanic, and 14% Black. Taylor Rehmet is an air craft mechanic and president of the local and state union. He won the special election 57-43. In 2024, Donald Trump carried the district by 17 points, so Taylor Rehmen engineered an extraordinary turnaround. In the general election in the fall, Taylor Rehmet will again face Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative political activist who organized on behalf of extreme conservative school board candidacies. DONATE to Taylor Rehmet’s campaign.
TXSD 24: This is a Y shaped district just south of the middle of Texas. It is 62% white, 21% Hispanic, and 14% Black and is represented by Republican Pete Flores, a former game warden and head of state parks and wildlife. Joe Pax Herrera, whose MBA led him to working for food companies, among them Hershey and Ferrara Candies, is focused on protecting groundwater and ensuring the existence of rural hospitals. DONATE to Joe Paz Herrera. Flip this Republican seat.
House of Representatives.
The Texas House of Representatives has 150 seats. Right now, there are 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats. It would be great to flip fourteen seats in the House. Right now I can recommend six. Donate via the link below or through the OATH website from which I identified the candidates to flip Republican seats.
TXHD 112. Zach Herbert is a marine veteran and a personal injury trial attorney. His top issue is ensuring access to health care and expanding Medicaid. DONATE.
TXHD 121 Zack Dunn was raised by two military parents. He has been a corporate attorney and an attorney for the Air Force. Currently, he is a prosecutor in the Bexar County DA’s office. DONATE
TXHD 94. Katie O’Brien Duzen is married to an Air Force Veteran and is the mother of two children. She has an MBA from TCU and is a business leader in the community. Her first priority is to lower costs by rejecting any sales tax increase, expanding Medicaid access, and funding full day kindergarten for all children. DONATE
TXHD 63. Denise Wooten has been a clinical psychologist for 35 years. Her first priority is protecting and funding public education. DONATE
TXHD 118 Kristian Carranza is a community organizer who has registered 10,000 Texans to vote. Her first priority is to lower costs by ensuring that large corporations pay their share of taxes. DONATE
TXHD 52 Chris Jimenez is a Marine Corp veteran and small business owner. His first priority is to reduce costs by creating a fairer property tax system. DONATE
