Full Breakdown
Bo French’s Past Calls for Public Executions Spark Backlash in Texas Railroad Commission Race
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Controversial Social Media Posts Calling for Executions
In May 2020 and again in February 2025, Bo French—Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner—used his X (formerly Twitter) account to call for public executions of political opponents. CNN’s KFile investigation identified at least five deleted posts that urged “public executions” of “Obama conspirators,” former President Barack Obama, and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. The posts also included the hashtag #HangEmHigh and language describing treason-related death penalties.
Background & Context
The Texas Railroad Commission, despite its name, now regulates the state’s oil and gas industry, a powerful economic sector. French, a former chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party and past statehouse candidate, is seeking the commission seat in the November 2026 election. His campaign has been marked by a series of inflammatory online statements, including anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, and racist remarks that have drawn criticism from within his own party.
Data & Statistics
- Posts identified: At least five X posts explicitly calling for public executions (CNN KFile).
- Timeframe: May 2020 (multiple posts targeting Obama and “Obama conspirators”) and February 2025 (posts targeting Adam Schiff and broader “traitors”).
- Deleted content: All identified posts have been removed; the platform either suspended the accounts or the posts were deleted, a point not clarified by French or X.
Official Statements & Responses
- Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have continued to endorse French, with Paxton condemning “racism in all its forms” but offering no comment on the execution calls.
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) publicly announced he will not support French, citing the extremist rhetoric.
- French’s campaign has not responded to requests for comment on the investigation.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
CNN’s KFile confirmed the posts originated from accounts linked to French, but it remains unclear whether the deletions were performed by French, his team, or resulted from X’s enforcement of hate-speech policies. No definitive evidence has been presented to resolve this ambiguity.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want more than perp walks. I want public executions,” — Bo French
- “The penalty for treason used to be death. Even for a former president. # HangEmHigh,” — Bo French
- “I agree. But you can not do that until your DOJ charges and prosecutes the treasonous bastards who spearheaded the Russia hoax. The death penalty for the Obama conspirators will be the only thing that pulls the stopper out of the drain. # HangEmHigh.” — Bo French
- “The GOP has a growing number of Bo Frenches—and not only in Texas,” — Karl Rove, veteran republican strategist
What’s Next
The race for the Texas Railroad Commission remains on the ballot for the November 2026 election. Voters will decide whether French’s controversial online history will outweigh his endorsements from the state’s top Republican officials. The outcome may signal how Texas Republicans balance party loyalty with the fallout from extremist rhetoric.