Builders Bloc Names Texas’s Top “Builders” From Both Parties, Flags Bo French as the Biggest “Divider” on the Statewide Ballot
Nonpartisan nonprofit analyzes midterm candidates based on integrity, problem-solving and shared American values, not
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Dallas, TX, Oct. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With early voting underway, Builders Bloc, a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit working to help Americans reclaim their civic power, today named the top Builders running for office in Texas. It also identified the starkest choice on the statewide ballot: the race for Texas Railroad Commissioner, where Republican Bo French scored 18 out of 100 on the Builders Index, compared with 70 for Democrat Jon Rosenthal. The 52-point gap is the largest of any Texas race the Index scored.
The rankings are based not on party, but on what candidates have said and done: their integrity, problem-solving record and commitment to shared American values like rule of law, truthfulness, democracy, freedom and opportunity, and accountability to the people. Because the Index never considers party affiliation, the balanced representation among the top ten wasn’t engineered. It reflects that character and leadership aren’t partisan.
Top Texas Statewide Builder Candidates
- Morgan Meyer (R), Texas House, District 108: 86.5
- Opponent: Allison Mitchell (D): 58.0 (Toss Up)
- Angie Chen Button (R), Texas House, District 112: 85.0
- Opponent: Zach Herbert (D): 60.0 (Toss Up)
- Judith Zaffirini (D), Texas Senate, District 21: 83.0
- Opponent: Julie Dahlberg (R): 46.0 (Divider)
- Drew Darby (R), Texas House, District 72: 81.5
- Opponent: Shiloh Salazar (D): 63.5 (Toss Up)
- Lacey Hull (R), Texas House, District 138: 81.5
- Opponent: Tyler Smith (D): 63.5 (Toss Up)
- Nathaniel Moran (R), U.S. House, District 1: 79.5
- Opponent: Yolanda Prince (D): 63.5
- Ryan Guillen (R), TX House, District 31: 79.5
- Opponent: JJ Dominguez (D): 61.5 (Toss Up)
- Eddie Morales Jr. (D), Texas House, District 74: 79.0
- Opponent: Robert Garza (R): 60.0 (Toss Up)
- Salman Bhojani (D), Texas House, District 92: 78.5
- Opponent: JP Woodruff (R): 56.0 (Toss Up)
- Christian Manuel (D), Texas House, District 22: 78.5
- Opponent: None
The Most Consequential Race on the Texas Ballot
Builders Bloc is highlighting the race for Texas Railroad Commissioner as one of the most consequential on the ballot, and one of the least understood. The commissioner is elected statewide to a six-year term, so every Texas voter has a say. And the race is wide open: an October University of Houston Hobby School poll found French at 45% and Rosenthal at 43%. A September Texas Southern University poll found that three in four voters didn’t know enough about Rosenthal to form an opinion.
The Railroad Commission oversees Texas’s oil and gas industry, which produces about 42% of all U.S. crude oil, along with pipeline safety and the natural gas utilities that heat millions of Texas homes and businesses. Its decisions hit wallets directly: after Winter Storm Uri, the Commission approved $3.4 billion in bonds paid off through the gas bills of more than 4.2 million customers, and its weatherization rules help determine whether the lights stay on during the next freeze. Because Texas energy fuels the nation, those decisions ripple into prices, jobs and the economy far beyond the state, at a time when the cost of living is a top concern for voters.
Builders Bloc is urging Texans to look past party labels in this race and send a Builder, not a Divider, to oversee one of the most important energy regulators in the country.
“I’ve spent my life working to elect conservatives, and I’m proud of it,” said Karl Rove, former senior adviser to President George W. Bush. “But party should never matter more than character. We should all want leaders who show integrity, respect the rule of law and take the job seriously. The Railroad Commission oversees the energy that powers Texas and much of the nation, and, as the Builders Index shows, Bo French doesn’t meet that standard.”
How the Builders Index Works
The Builders Index used AI to analyze each candidate’s public record: legislative and voting histories, campaign websites, social media, news coverage, fact-checks, and ethics and campaign finance filings. Each candidate was scored from 0 to 100 on four qualities:
- Values-driven: upholds shared American values, including the rule of law, truthfulness, democracy, freedom and opportunity, accountability to the people, and dignity and compassion.
- Solutions-oriented: avoids political posturing and delivers real results, especially on the cost of living, a top priority for Americans.
- Collaborative: works across party lines.
- Constructive: debates ideas without personal attacks.
Candidates scoring 70 or above were classified as Builders. Those scoring 49 or below were classified as Dividers. Scores in between were classified as Toss ups. The Builders AI model was instructed never to consider party affiliation and candidates with a limited public record were not penalized.
Voters can visit BuildersIndex.org today to see how each top Builder earned their score. Builders Bloc is working to make the full Index public in the future, so every American can see how their own representatives measure up.
Taking the Rankings on the Road
Builders Bloc is also taking its message on the road with “Make Politics Suck Less,” a traveling, interactive game show that brings conversations about leadership and accountability directly to voters. Contestants guess whether real quotes came from movie villains, movie heroes or politicians on the 2026 ballot, and winners take home $113.26, a nod to Election Day on 11/3/26. The tour seeks to help American voters think more critically about how candidates lead and whether they work across differences to get things done.
About Builders Bloc
Builders Bloc is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(4) organization to help Americans reclaim their civic power by advancing citizen-led policies and holding elected officials accountable to the broad will of the people. The organization focuses primarily on advancing citizen-led policy solutions—moving policy proposals developed through cross-partisan consensus into law. Builders Bloc is a national organization that will initially pilot much of its work in Texas, a state widely viewed as a political bellwether for the nation. Learn more at BuildersBloc.org.
Contact Info
Kristin Schneider
press@buildersbloc.org
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