Texas GOP railroad commission nominee Bo French faces bipartisan backlash over posts targeting Asian American students at University of Texas football game
Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas railroad commissioner, posted a photo on X of University of Texas football fans — most of them people of color — writing that "the problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined" and that "social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners." The posts drew condemnation from members of both parties, including outgoing Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who said the behavior was "how great political parties self-destruct." The University of Texas responded with a statement saying it is "proud to celebrate" all its students.
Bo French posted the image Sunday morning after the Longhorns' home football game against Ohio State. Most of the fans pictured appeared to be non-White, and French's caption suggested the students were foreigners displacing Americans. Two of the students in the photo told the Dallas Morning News they are U.S. citizens. State law requires that 90 percent of each University of Texas freshman class come from in-state, and there is no evidence the students pictured are foreign nationals, according to Politico.
French's history of incendiary statements predates his current campaign. Last year, Republican officials called on him to resign as chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party after he published an online poll asking whether Muslims or Jews were "the bigger threat to America." He deleted the post and apologized. This spring, he unseated a well-financed Republican incumbent to win the railroad commission nomination — a seat that, if won, would place him on a commission regulating Texas' oil, gas, and mining industries.
Republican responses ranged from outright condemnation to carefully worded distance. Cornyn said the behavior was "how great political parties self-destruct." Rep. Monica De La Cruz, facing a tough reelection in a Hispanic-majority district, told Politico she condemns racism wherever it comes from and said all she saw in the photo was "a group of kids celebrating a Longhorns win." Gov. Greg Abbott said French's post "is not my message" while also reaffirming support for strict immigration enforcement and freezing H-1B visas at Texas universities. Republican strategist Anang Mittal told Politico that Abbott's framing was itself problematic: "It's pretty damn disgusting of Greg Abbott to say, 'I condemn racism, but also, like, we're keeping all the Indians out.'" Karl Rove called French a "bigot" at a private lunch and said he was voting for French's Democratic opponent, according to Politico. No Republican leader explicitly called on French to drop out of the race.