In Major Upset, Texas Oil Regulator Loses Republican Primary

A member of the top energy regulator in Texas lost his place on November’s ballot to a Republican challenger, a major upset for an incumbent who has attracted criticism for his handling of natural gas flaring and occasionally split with his fellow commissioners.

Ryan Sitton, whose six-year term ends in January, conceded to Jim Wright as the party’s nominee for a spot on the Texas Railroad Commission. Despite the name, the powerful agency regulates the state’s massive oil fields, including issuing permits for flaring, in which oil producers burn off unwanted natural gas.

“Congratulations to Jim Wright,” Sitton ...