Elizabeth Ames-Jones is stepping down as chair of the Texas Railroad Commission to focus on her run for State Senate. Jones, a Republican, is challenging longtime incumbent Jeff Wentworth in the primary.

Jones' decision comes amid controversy over state residency requirements. As Railroad Commissioner, she is required to live in Austin. Wentworth accused Jones of violating that requirement when she changed her official residency to San Antonio in order to run in Senate District 25. Jones has maintained that the state constitution does not state she can't have homes in both cities.

Jones defended her residency in a statement announcing her resignation. It read, in part:

"Since I announced my candidacy for SD 25, Jeff Wentworth has attacked my home, my husband and my honor. Although the Texas Constitution provides that state officials who reside in Austin working on state business don’t forfeit their voting residence back home, Senator Wentworth and his Democrat lawyer have ignored the Constitution and continued their baseless attacks. To put an end to this, I asked the Attorney General to issue an opinion vindicating my right to finish my term on the Texas Railroad Commission. Wentworth’s lawyers, however, filed a frivolous lawsuit on the issue, knowing that filing such a suit would preclude the Attorney General from responding to my request until the suit is resolved."