A prominent Texas Republican candidate running for statewide office has triggered intense backlash within his own party following a controversial social media post that disparaged minority college football supporters. Bo French, who is seeking a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, faces sharp rebukes from high-profile party figures after sharing racially charged commentary online.
The controversy began when French published an image on the social media platform X featuring students enthusiastically celebrating the University of Texas Longhorns' dramatic victory over the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The photograph depicted a group of non-Caucasian students wearing collegiate team apparel. In his accompanying caption, French wrote that he had heard the university's commencement looked like the image and asserted that the situation was now significantly worse than anyone had anticipated.
French presented no evidence regarding the legal status or citizenship of the young people featured in the photograph. According to data provided by Texas Global, an official division of the institution, international students make up less than 10 percent of the university’s overall student body of approximately 55,000 individuals. Critics noted that French's attempt to portray the Asian students as foreign outsiders illustrates how previously marginal viewpoints have increasingly made their way into mainstream party messaging.
The candidate's online remarks immediately drew swift condemnation from established conservative leaders throughout the state. Among the most forceful detractors was Karl Rove, a veteran Republican strategist and longtime senior adviser to former President George W. Bush. Speaking at a private gathering held in Austin, Rove explicitly referred to French as a bigot and announced that he could not support his candidacy.
In an unprecedented move reflecting his deep dismay, Rove declared that he intends to cast his ballot for Jon Rosenthal, a Democrat representing Houston who is competing against French for the Railroad Commission post. Rove noted that backing Rosenthal will mark the very first time in 32 years that he has voted for a Democratic candidate over a Republican nominee.
Further criticism emerged from United States Senator John Cornyn, who publicly denounced French on social media. Cornyn warned that the Republican Party must reject such divisive rhetoric to maintain its broad political viability, stating that the party is better than such behavior and must condemn bigotry directed at fellow Texans to avoid becoming a minority party.
Cornyn’s public rebuke came shortly after French attempted to leverage the viral controversy to solicit campaign contributions online. The confrontation highlighted enduring divisions within the state party, coming months after Cornyn lost his own primary re-election bid in May to Ken Paxton, the Donald Trump-backed state attorney general who has faced numerous scandals.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott also sought to distance the broader state leadership from French's online commentary. Speaking to media outlets, the governor stated that French’s framing did not represent his personal message. Abbott emphasized that Longhorn fans celebrating a historic home victory actually demonstrated statewide unity, adding that Texans should unite behind their universities and athletic teams rather than allowing them to become points of division.
State lawmakers within the Texas legislature echoed these concerns. State Senator Lacey Hull, a fellow Republican, publicly called on French to delete the offensive publication. Hull explained that when looking at the image, she saw proud young Texans supporting their college team, noting that the candidate's post was deeply disheartening.
Kevin Eltife, the chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, issued an official statement affirming his support for the student body. Eltife stated that he saw only dedicated Longhorn students in the photograph, identical to the diverse student presence he observes regularly across campus grounds and during commencement ceremonies, offering praise for their representation of the university.
Despite the mounting criticism from respected state figures, French remained unrepentant about the incident. During an appearance on host Mark Davis's radio program, the candidate dismissed the pushback from his fellow Republicans, characterizing his critics as less conservative elements of the party.
French claimed on the broadcast that mainstream political organizations had raised and spent $7 million against his campaign during the contentious primary election. He contended that the individuals voicing public outrage over his social media post were simply continuing their previous political efforts to undermine his candidacy.
The escalating dispute surrounding French is part of a wider pattern in which several candidates during the midterm election cycle have faced scrutiny over inflammatory, racially charged, or extreme rhetoric. Observers point to multiple races where nominees have drawn rebukes for their public statements and past conduct.
In another Texas contest, Republican congressional nominee Brandon Herrera, known online by the persona "the AK guy," faced condemnation over crude and misogynistic commentary. Herrera, who maintains a significant following on social media, previously released video footage in which he discharged firearms at dressing bottles and made derogatory remarks about women.
Herrera had also previously drawn criticism from conservative organizations, including the Republican Jewish Coalition, which strongly condemned him in 2024 after he referred to a weapon from the Nazi era as a ghetto blaster.
The widespread internal backlash against French underscores the deepening ideological rift within the Texas Republican apparatus, as establishment leaders clash with hardline candidates whose combative messaging threatens party cohesion ahead of general election contests.
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