According to CoinMeta, Democrat Jon Rosenthal defeated the Republican hardliner Bo French to become the first Democrat to win a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission in 36 years. This commission is responsible for regulating Texas' oil industry, which is worth $200 billion. The Texas Railroad Commission consists of three members and oversees the state's oil industry. Texas produces more crude oil than all OPEC member countries except Saudi Arabia. Over the past 100 years, the commission's authority has expanded from regulating freight rates to approving drilling permits, inspecting oil wells, and enforcing safety and pollution prevention regulations. In 1960, the founding members of OPEC even used this commission as a model for their organization.