Jon Rosenthal says he and Bo French agreed to first major debate between Texas statewide candidates

Rosenthal, a state representative from Cypress, announced the agreement on social media Friday. He said the debate will be live streamed, giving voters statewide a chance to watch the two face off before Election Day.

The seat is one of three on the Railroad Commission, the state agency that regulates oil and gas infrastructure across Texas. French has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks for racist social media posts he made about University of Texas students, and the debate will put him in front of Rosenthal directly for the first time in the race.

A statewide debate this early is rare in a race that usually flies under the radar compared to governor or U.S. Senate contests. Whoever wins one of the three seats will help decide how the industry gets regulated for years to come, a decision that matters most for Texans who rely on oil and gas jobs or live near drilling operations.

The agency that oversees Texas oil and gas has never regulated a single railroad, and this fall it will host one of the state's most closely watched down-ballot fights.