Mella McEwen, MRT.com/Midland Reporter-Telegram
Wayne Christian handily led the three challengers seeking his seat on the Railroad Commission.
The incumbent, who currently serves as chairman of the three-member commission, received 566,812 votes or 47.45 percent of the vote with 72 percent of the votes counted as of press time.
In second place was Sarah Stogner with 179,270 votes or 15.01 percent of the vote. Tom Slocum Jr. received 171,289 votes or 14.34 percent of the vote while Dawayne Tipton received 137,341 votes or 11.50 percent.
Should Christian not top 50 percent of the vote, he would face the second-place finisher in a May runoff. Democrat Luke Warford will be waiting for the Republican nominee in November.
“I put in the work,” Tipton told the Reporter-Telegram in a telephone interview. “I’d like to thank all the people who supported me and there will be more and better things in the future.”
Marvin “Sarge” Summers, who was killed in a car accident in Midland County several weeks ago, remained on the ballot and received 139,903 votes or 11.71 percent of the vote.
In Midland County, Christian received 4,385 votes or 48.87 percent of the vote.
Christian was elected to the commission in November 2016. Prior to being elected to the Railroad Commission, he served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1996 to 2013. After joining the commission, he was appointed the Official Representative of Texas on the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott.