Full Breakdown
Texas GOP Candidate Bo French Faces Party Backlash Over Racist Social Media Post
By Drooid · · How we work
The Controversial Post and Immediate Fallout
The caption was widely interpreted as a racist attack on the students. Within hours, several Texas Republicans publicly condemned the post and called for its removal.
Political Context and the Railroad Commission
The Texas Railroad Commission is a three-member panel that regulates the state’s oil and gas production, pipelines and natural-gas utilities, with members serving six-year terms. French secured the GOP nomination in May by defeating the Abbott-endorsed incumbent, Jim Wright. His campaign has previously drawn scrutiny for slurs against LGBTQ people and for antisemitic and Islamophobic remarks.
Official Reactions from Republican Leaders
Sen. John Cornyn urged fellow Republicans to denounce “intolerance and racism,” warning that tolerance of such behavior could “self-destruct” the party. Gov. Greg Abbott distanced himself from the post, describing the image as “selective” and emphasizing Texas unity while reaffirming the state’s tough immigration stance. Rep. Dan Crenshaw also condemned the post on X. House Speaker Dustin Burrows called for the post’s deletion, stating that opposition to immigration policy does not require demeaning people based on race or ethnicity.
Criticism from Democrats and Other Republicans
Democratic state Rep. Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico declared, “Racism has no place in Texas.” Attorney General Ken Paxton responded to Talarico’s criticism by condemning “racism in all its forms,” though he did not reference French directly.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad,” — Sen. John Cornyn
- “He and the other America Last losers are mad that Texas Republicans are starting to put America First,” — Bo French
- “The way we win the state is the same way we win football games. We unite under the brand of Texas,” — Gov. Greg Abbott
- “Racism has no place in Texas,” — James Talarico