People froze to death in Texas during Winter Storm Uri — and it was preventable.

Jon Rosenthal, the only mechanical engineer in the Texas Legislature and a 25-year oil field engineer, explains how weatherizing natural gas facilities would have kept the power on, why Texans are still paying for Uri years later, and why he's running to fix the Texas Railroad Commission.

Hiram and Domingo sit down with Rosenthal to talk about what the Railroad Commission actually does (it doesn't regulate railroads — it regulates oil and gas), why he says it's "owned by industry," his plan to mandate weatherization and make AI data centers bring their own power and water — and his race against Republican Bo French, whose social media poll asking whether Jews or Muslims pose a bigger threat to America drew public condemnation from Texas Republican leadership, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Learn more or get involved: jonrosenthaltx.com

🎙️ More from Tejano Talks:
• Gina Hinojosa's Fight to Be Texas's First Latina Governor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KzQWSZMkpo&t=64s
• Nathan Johnson, The Dragonball Z composer Running for Texas Attorney General: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL3r7EO2nHU

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IN THIS EPISODE

— What the Texas Railroad Commission actually regulates (hint: it's not railroads)
— How the statewide grid failure during Winter Storm Uri still hasn't been fully fixed, and who's paying for it
— Why a 25-year oil field engineer says Texas energy policy needs an engineer in the room, not just industry lobbyists
— The documented, widely-reported controversy surrounding his Republican opponent, Bo French — who Rosenthal says won his primary on "a campaign of hate"
— AI data centers, and Rosenthal's plan to make them provide their own power and water
— How Rosenthal plans to win a statewide race for "an office a lot of people wouldn't touch"

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CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome: introducing Jon Rosenthal
00:40 What does the Railroad Commission actually do?
01:36 25 years as an oil field engineer, now the Legislature's only mechanical engineer
02:09 The 2018 upset: defeating a 24-year Republican incumbent
02:29 Winter Storm Uri: the freeze that killed Texans
03:47 Why the grid still isn't fixed — and who's paying for it
06:11 An industry-owned commission vs. one that works for Texans
06:48 Meet the opponent: Bo French
09:40 The poll, the rhetoric, and why Republicans are alarmed too
10:04 Zombie wells and West Texas Republicans who want real regulation
10:34 Ad: Domingo Garcia Law Firm
10:44 AI data centers: who pays for the power and water
12:50 The statewide game plan: rural Texas and energy workers
14:16 Talking to Democrats who fear losing their energy jobs
17:56 Closing: get informed, get involved

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ABOUT THE GUEST

Jon Rosenthal represents Texas House District 135 (Cypress and northwest Harris County) and is not seeking reelection to focus on his campaign for Texas Railroad Commissioner. A mechanical engineer with 25 years in the oil and gas industry — including work on drilling rigs, production platforms, pipelines, and chemical plants — he holds a graduate certificate in subsea engineering from the University of Houston. In 2018, he defeated a 24-year Republican incumbent to flip his district, and has since served four terms as the Legislature's only mechanical engineer and a recognized subject-matter expert on energy policy. He is the only Jewish member of the Texas Legislature. Learn more: jonrosenthaltx.com

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HOSTS

DOMINGO GARCIA is a trial lawyer and one of the most important Latino political figures in Texas. He served on the Dallas City Council and, in 1993, became the first Latino ever elected Mayor Pro Tem of the city. In the Texas Legislature, he co-authored HB 1403 — the Texas DREAM Act. In 2006, he organized the largest march in Texas history, when more than 500,000 people filled downtown Dallas to demand immigration reform. He is a former national president of LULAC and has practiced law for more than 40 years.

HIRAM GILBERTO GARCIA is a journalist, producer, and public affairs strategist based in Austin. His frontline coverage of the 2020 protests drew wide local and national attention. @abogadodomingo
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ABOUT TEJANO TALKS

Tejano Talks is a podcast hosted by Domingo Garcia and Hiram Garcia that blends cultural conversation, political analysis, and interviews with notable voices in Texas and beyond. We're here for Tejanos like us — to help you build wealth, honor your family, and make well-informed choices for your future.

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Views expressed by hosts and guests are their own.

#TexasRailroadCommission #JonRosenthal #WinterStormUri #TexasPowerGrid #ERCOT #TexasPolitics #BoFrench #TejanoTalks #TexasOilAndGas #TexasBlackout

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