Josh Kovensky is an investigative reporter for Talking Points Memo, based in New York. He previously worked for the Kyiv Post in Ukraine, covering politics, business, and corruption there.
A far-right Republican is running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission on an anti-DEI and Islamophobic platform. But the culture war-heavy campaign masks an intra-GOP battle over establishing basic environmental protections in Texas oil drilling.
Dallas-area Republicans were forced to distance themselves from new, conspiracy theory-tinged election rules they championed in recent years. But not before thousands were disenfranchised.