Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, is facing condemnation from within his own party following a social media post that has been widely labeled as racist. French shared an image on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday morning depicting non-white students celebrating the University of Texas's football victory over Ohio State the previous night. He accompanied the image with the claim that the state's institutions have been "overrun by illegal aliens and foreign nationals."
French's statement, "I heard UT graduation this year looked like this, I didn't believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined," drew immediate criticism from prominent Texas Republicans.
US Senator John Cornyn urged French to delete the post and called on other members of the GOP to denounce it, stating that such rhetoric threatened the party's future. "This is how great political parties self-destruct," Cornyn wrote on X, calling the situation "sad."
State Representative Jared Patterson of Austin declared the post "racist" and "wrong," condemning it without reservation. He argued that judging young Texans at a college football game based on their skin color is neither Christian nor conservative. Patterson emphasized that the Texas Railroad Commission's role is to regulate the oil and gas industry, not to serve as a platform for racial division. "This does not represent my Christian faith. It does not represent my conservative principles. And it does not represent the Republican Party I believe in," Patterson stated.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows also called for French to remove the post, advising, "You can oppose immigration policy without demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity - this post has crossed the line. Delete it."
Republican Representatives Lacey Hull of Houston and Jeff Leach of Plano echoed these sentiments. Hull urged French to "Please delete this," adding, "I see college kids cheering on their football teams. I see Texans."
Leach shared a photograph of his own son with friends at the game, stating, "Bo thinks it's a 'problem' they don't all look like and have the same color as Brady. I think that's racist - and it makes me sick."
Jon Rosenthal, French's Democratic opponent for the Texas Railroad Commission, also condemned the post. "I spent 25 years as an oil and gas engineer. Bo French spent Sunday morning sorting our student section by skin color," Rosenthal posted, questioning French's qualifications to regulate in Texas. Rosenthal thanked Cornyn for speaking out against the rhetoric, noting that "It's truly unfortunate that so many elected 'leaders' will just silently let this pass."
Despite the backlash, French has doubled down on his remarks, labeling Cornyn and other critics as "RINOs (Republicans in Name Only)" and "anti-American." He further claimed that these individuals have "cheered for them [illegal aliens and foreign nationals] over our own citizens" and that "Texas Republicans are starting to put America First."
French, a former Tarrant County GOP chair, has a history of controversial statements, including past calls for the deportation of millions of Americans. His campaign platform includes opposition to Islamic influence in Texas and the termination of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in the state's oil industry.
According to a survey by The Barbara Jordan Public Policy Research Center at Texas Southern University conducted in July, French held a three-point lead over Rosenthal, with 44 percent of likely voters intending to vote for French and 41 percent supporting Rosenthal. However, the survey also indicated a significant percentage of undecided voters across party lines.