By Trendsetter Tribune 
In the final stretch of the 2016 campaign, Sid Miller’s political future looked bright. Then-candidate Donald Trump praised him at a Michigan rally, calling him a loyal supporter from Texas and pointing out his trademark white cowboy hat. After Trump’s first victory, he twice backed Miller’s reelection bids in 2018 and 2022, helping him cruise through Republican primaries. Reports even suggested Miller was under consideration for Agriculture Secretary after Trump won again in 2024.
Now, as Miller runs for a fourth term overseeing Texas’ massive agriculture sector, he is more politically exposed than ever. In the Republican primary, he is seen as the underdog against Nate Sheets, a onetime donor who has become a sharp critic. Sheets has raised roughly three times as much money as Miller since early 2025, while Trump has stayed silent, offering no public endorsement in what may be Miller’s most difficult race yet. Other Republican officeholders are openly accusing him of corruption and poor performance.
Governor Greg Abbott has emerged as one of Miller’s loudest critics. Abbott has said on conservative radio that Miller has failed as agriculture commissioner and that his character reflects poorly on the state. Controversy is not new for Miller: in his first term, he was investigated over use of taxpayer money for personal travel, including a trip for a so‑called “Jesus shot” pain treatment. He repaid the funds and was not charged. In his second term, his longtime consultant Todd Smith was indicted for trying to sell hemp licenses controlled by Miller’s agency; Miller was not implicated and still easily won a third term.
This time, however, Republican patience appears to be wearing thin. After Smith pleaded guilty, Miller brought him into the agency as chief of staff, one of its highest-paid positions. A former friend later told law enforcement that Miller asked him to get rid of marijuana cigarettes and gummies after Miller heard that federal agents might be looking into him. Staff at the agriculture department also complained about Miller’s continued close ties to Smith. Miller has defended Smith’s hiring and dismissed the criminal case as partisan “lawfare.” Abbott, endorsing Sheets, said Texans deserve an agriculture commissioner focused on promoting the industry with zero tolerance for criminal behavior.
Even so, Miller remains a serious contender. He has the advantages of incumbency and longstanding relationships with farmers and ranchers. Supporters like rancher Ted Conover note that Miller has good ties to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the sitting president, which they say helps Texas producers. Miller himself argues he is still the strongest candidate and mocks his opponent’s lack of hands‑on agricultural experience, saying Sheets has never milked a cow or shod a horse. He shrugs off Abbott’s attacks as personal animosity and hints that Trump may be backing him behind the scenes, saying only that any endorsement might not yet be “ready to release.”
Miller is also highlighting programs he has launched in office, such as the AgriStress Hotline for mental health support in rural communities, the Farm Fresh Initiative connecting local farmers with schools, and expanded marketing for Texas‑made products. But on the ground, many farmers and ranchers say they feel let down—criticizing his response to crises like the 2024 Panhandle fires and opposing his increases in fees and licenses for agricultural businesses. Powerful groups including the Texas Farm Bureau and the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association have lined up behind Sheets instead.
Some in the industry now argue that Texas needs a manager more than a cowboy. Rancher and small business owner Lee Wells says the job calls for a CEO-type leader rather than someone defined by ranching skills. A growing list of Republican lawmakers and officials, including state senators and Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, have broken with Miller to endorse Sheets. Buckingham has said that when she handled legislation to renew the agriculture department in 2021, she saw how deep the friction was between Miller and the Legislature. She argues that Miller’s conduct put the entire agency and its mission at risk and claims she had to step in to prevent the department from being dismantled, so farmers and ranchers would not pay the price for his failures.