AUSTIN — High atop a West Texas pumpjack, Republican Railroad Commission candidate Sarah Stogner nearly bared it all in a recent social media post that is bringing attention to an oft-ignored election.
Stogner has been getting praise and blowback for her TikTok post Sunday, which she also shared on Twitter, showing her wearing a wide brimmed hat, boots and little else. “Stronger with Stogner. Please vote early,” the narration implores.
The video has since garnered more than 65,000 views and is doing exactly what Stogner had hoped it would: bring more attention to her race in the Republican primary. Stogner, an oil and gas attorney, is one of three candidates challenging incumbent Wayne Christian for the GOP’s nomination.
In recent days, the election has grown far more intriguing than many would have expected, and Stogner’s risqué ride on a pumpjack is only fanning the flames.
Christian is seeing his campaign bogged down by questions related to the timing of a $100,000 campaign finance donation. One candidate died suddenly in a car crash near Midland.
Reached Thursday in West Texas on the side of a highway in Ward County between campaign stops, Stogner said she decided to post the short video as her “Super Bowl ad” Sunday as part of her zero dollar campaign that is being waged mainly on social media and at in person events.
“I’ve been screaming and jumping up and down about very important things that are technically complicated and kind of scary.” Stogner said. “But now that I’ve got your attention, you know, let’s talk about them.”
Chief among those issues are the Railroad Commission’s seemingly cozy relationship with the oil and gas industry it regulates, the lack of winterization rules for gas production facilities as well as water and air pollution.
Stogner said she has had the footage since November and considered posting it to announce her campaign. However, she decided to wait because she wanted to make sure she met face to face with many on the GOP campaign trail first.
She said she has gotten some praise, but also some blowback. The San Antonio Express-News’ editorial board rescinded its endorsement of Stogner following the video’s release, calling it “disgraceful.”
Stogner called it a “knee-jerk reaction.”
“Why do we get so upset as as a as a state as a nation, whatever, about sex?” Stogner said. Let’s get angry about stuff that doesn’t have to do with love. Let’s get angry about pollution and lying and stealing and evil.”
