Sarah Stogner, a lawyer and Republican candidate for the 2022 railroad commissioner election in Texas, fired back at critics after facing backlash for posting a semi-nude campaign ad on TikTok.
The short campaign ad posted on Feb. 13 features a nearly nude Stogner straddling an oil pump while wearing a cowboy hat, boots, bikini bottom and stars covering her breasts. Stogner’s campaign sign is seen flashing several times throughout the video while a narrator says “Stronger with Stogner, please vote early starting tomorrow.”
Stogner said she posted the video to TikTok following a friend’s suggestion after she was unsuccessful in bringing attention to leaking oil wells in West Texas last year, according to the Houston Chronicle.
“I knew it would be controversial,” Stogner told the outlet. “I didn’t realize it would incite the rage and anger that it did from the press.”
WATCH:
@theunicornlawyer They said I needed at least $1MM to win a state election. #sarah4rrc #dobetter #biggame #govote #texascheck #oilfield #sorrymom #unicorntribe #untamed ♬ Apache – The Sugarhill Gang
The San Antonio Express-News rescinded their previous endorsement of Stogner on Feb. 15 and has now endorsed longtime oilman, Dawayne Tipton.
“I want to put my clothes back on and have a serious conversation,” Stogner told KENS 5 News. “I want to talk about ground water. I want to talk about flaring. I want to talk about winterizing our infrastructure pipelines. But that’s boring. It doesn’t get clickbait.”
Texas state lawmakers have tasked railroad commissioners with writing weatherization rules for natural gas suppliers after a power grid collapse in February 2021 caused by frozen wind turbines and other energy infrastructure issues.