Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, recently sparked bipartisan outrage after sharing a photo on social media of South Asian students at the University of Texas at Austin, implying that their presence indicated a "problem" with the university's enrollment policies favoring non-Americans. This incident occurred shortly before the highly anticipated Texas Longhorns football game against Ohio State, and French defended his remarks by stating his focus was on prioritizing Americans over foreigners, despite having no evidence of fraud or issues with the students themselves.
French's comments drew immediate and strong condemnation from numerous prominent Republicans, including outgoing U.S. Senator John Cornyn, State Representative Drew Darby, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows. Many called for French to delete the post and issue an apology, with some describing his remarks as "racism, plain and simple." Cornyn notably questioned whether other Republican officials would condemn the intolerance or allow it to become normalized, while Burrows emphasized that opposing immigration policy should not involve demeaning people based on their race or ethnicity.
This is not French's first instance of controversial online commentary. A year prior, while serving as chair of the Tarrant County Republican Party, he faced calls to resign from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick after publishing a survey asking if Jews or Muslims posed a greater threat to the U.S. Governor Greg Abbott also privately expressed concerns that French would "wreck" the oil and gas industry. These prior incidents indicate a pattern of provocative remarks that have consistently drawn criticism from within his own party.
Democratic opponent Jon Rosenthal, a career oil field engineer, capitalized on the backlash, reporting a significant fundraising boost of $35,000 from 500 new donors following French's remarks. Rosenthal highlighted that the controversy has united Republicans, Democrats, and Independents behind his campaign, emphasizing that French's "racist outbursts jeopardize the credibility of the agency he seeks to run." Even the Texas Oil and Gas Association, which had previously endorsed French, shared posts condemning his statements, indicating a broad rejection of his conduct.
The Texas Railroad Commission, a three-member body, is responsible for regulating the state's powerful oil and gas industry. French, who defeated incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright in the primary, faces Rosenthal in the upcoming election. His campaign has largely avoided debating the commission's actual regulatory issues, instead focusing on broader cultural and immigration topics, further fueling criticism about his suitability for the role.
