A sharp intraparty conflict has erupted within the Texas Republican Party after U.S. Senator John Cornyn and several state lawmakers publicly condemned Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, over derogatory social media remarks targeting non-white students at the University of Texas at Austin.
The controversy began when French published a post on the social media platform X featuring an image of students of color cheering in the stands during a Longhorns football game in Austin. In the post, French suggested that the presence of non-white attendees was proof that higher education in the state had been compromised by unauthorized immigrants and foreign nationals.
Accompanying the stadium photograph, French wrote that he had previously heard reports that graduation ceremonies at the University of Texas appeared similar, adding that he had initially doubted those claims. He went on to assert that the situation had become far more severe than anyone had anticipated, claiming that public institutions across Texas were being overrun.
The remarks drew swift and stern condemnation from Cornyn, who warned that rhetoric demeaning individuals on the basis of their racial background poses an existential threat to the party’s long-term viability. The senior senator questioned whether fellow Republican officials would tolerate and normalize such intolerance or take a stand against it, warning that great political organizations ultimately destroy themselves when they permit such behavior.
Cornyn’s public rebuke comes as his 23-year career representing Texas in the United States Senate draws toward a close. The veteran lawmaker is preparing to step down following a contentious Republican primary runoff defeat earlier this year against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Other prominent state leaders quickly added their voices to the chorus urging French to take down the offensive commentary. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows took to social media to state that opposing immigration policies should never entail disparaging individuals based on their race or ethnic background, declaring firmly that French’s post had crossed an unacceptable line.
Speaker Burrows was joined by key legislative allies, including state Representative Lacey Hull of Houston and state Representative Jeff Leach of Plano, both of whom publicly urged the Railroad Commission nominee to delete the message immediately.
Representative Hull characterized the post as heartbreaking, emphasizing that the individuals depicted in the photograph were simply young college students enthusiastically supporting their school’s athletic team. She stressed that when looking at the image, she saw fellow Texans rather than people who should be subjected to political demonization.
Rather than retracting the statement or offering an apology, French responded aggressively to the pushback. He directed his anger at Cornyn and other establishment figures, labeling them as "RINOs" (Republicans in Name Only) and accusing them of failing to prioritize American citizens in their governance.
French further alleged that state institutions had fallen into their current condition precisely because figures like Cornyn had supported non-white residents over other citizens. He characterized his critics within the party as being part of an "America Last" faction that was reacting negatively to a growing grassroots push for "America First" policies in Texas.
The confrontation also highlighted ideological rifts among other Republican figures across the state. State Representative Andy Hopper, who secured the Republican nomination for Texas' 64th Congressional District, came to French’s defense on social media, dismissing Cornyn’s criticism and referring to the senior senator as a smug globalist.
The incident marks the latest in a series of polarizing public statements from French, a former chairman of the Tarrant County Republican Party whose statewide campaign has frequently courted controversy. During earlier stages of his bid for office, French drew widespread scrutiny for demanding the mass deportation of 100 million people from the United States.
French’s campaign platform for the regulatory agency overseeing the state’s massive energy sector has also heavily featured anti-Islamic rhetoric. In past public statements, the candidate has pledged to halt what he termed an Islamic invasion of the state and promised to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the Texas oil and gas industry.
His past statements have previously alienated high-ranking state executives, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott. In May, Abbott issued a sharp public warning regarding French’s platform, cautioning that his approach to governance would ultimately wreck the state's vital oil and natural gas sectors if he were elected to the commission.
Neither Cornyn nor French provided further comments prior to publication, as the exchange continues to reverberate across the state's political landscape ahead of the upcoming general election.
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