Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, has come under intense scrutiny following a racially charged social media post over the weekend. The post, which featured a celebratory image of University of Texas football fans of color, included a caption suggesting that the university’s current graduation ceremonies reflected a demographic shift perceived negatively by French. He further expressed concerns about the admission of foreign students, implying they were favored over native Texans based on skin color.
French’s comments quickly ignited backlash within the Texas GOP. Several prominent Republicans condemned the post, while others offered more tempered responses. U.S. Senator John Cornyn described French’s remarks as threatening party unity and called for Republican leaders to take a stand against intolerance and racism. State House Speaker Dustin Burrows urged French to delete the post, emphasizing that opposition to immigration policies should not involve racial or ethnic denigration. Lacey Hull, chair of the Texas House Human Services Committee, expressed heartbreak over the post and framed it as an unjust portrayal of Texan college students.
Governor Greg Abbott, who has previously opposed French in the primary, distanced himself from the remarks, stating the post did not reflect his message. Abbott highlighted the image as an example of Texan unity and reiterated support for strict immigration enforcement, including his recent efforts to restrict the use of H-1B visas at Texas public universities.
French, who narrowly won the Republican primary against incumbent Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright despite criticism from leading Republicans, defended his comments by expressing concern for Texas families allegedly losing university seats to foreign students. However, state law guarantees automatic admission to the University of Texas at Austin for Texas high school students ranked in the top 5 percent of their class, who are expected to comprise up to 75 percent of the incoming class for 2027-28. Additionally, international students constitute less than 10 percent of the university’s enrollment, according to the institution’s most recent data.
Democrats swiftly condemned French’s remarks, with State Representative James Talarico, a U.S. Senate candidate, calling on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to denounce the comments. Paxton declined to address the post directly, instead accusing Talarico of being the source of division in the state’s political discourse. Following Senator Cornyn’s condemnation, conservative State Representative Andy Hopper criticized Cornyn, labeling him a “smug globalist” and referencing Cornyn’s primary loss to Paxton.
French’s candidacy remains viable in the heavily Republican state, and he is favored to win in the November general election. His Democratic opponent, State Representative Janelle Joy Rosenthal, voiced hope that French’s campaign highlighted a growing fatigue among voters toward divisive rhetoric. Rosenthal also criticized Governor Abbott for failing to unequivocally reject French’s message, particularly his focus on foreign worker visas.
Should French be elected to the Railroad Commission, he may encounter ongoing friction within the Texas GOP. State Representative Drew Darby, chair of the committee overseeing the commission, indicated the Legislature could consider measures to limit French’s authority if his actions become problematic. The controversy surrounding French’s statements underscores persistent tensions within Texas politics over race, immigration, and party identity ahead of a competitive midterm election season.