Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, has drawn widespread criticism following a series of racially charged social media posts targeting University of Texas students. The remarks sparked controversy amid a high-profile state election season.
The incident unfolded shortly after a key college football game in early September, when the University of Texas secured a late victory over Ohio State. A widely circulated photograph showed a group of jubilant students celebrating the win, many of whom appeared to be of South Asian descent. French shared the image on the social media platform X, with comments suggesting concern over demographic changes at the university, framing his criticism around a "Great Replacement" theory. He further claimed that social media was revealing an increasing number of Americans being "displaced by foreigners."
French’s history of inflammatory remarks has been well documented. In 2025, as chairman of the Tarrant County GOP, he posted a poll questioning whether Muslims or Jews posed a greater threat to America. Earlier this year, he called for the deportation of all Muslims in the United States, characterizing Islam as subversive. Despite such statements, French remains a viable candidate in November’s election, where he seeks a position on the commission overseeing Texas’s extensive oil and gas industry.
The backlash has been swift and bipartisan. French’s Democratic opponent, State Representative Jon Rosenthal, condemned his posts as racially divisive and inappropriate for someone seeking regulatory authority. "A man who can’t tell a Longhorn from a foreigner has no business regulating anything in Texas," Rosenthal said. Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn also condemned the remarks, urging fellow Republicans to reject racism rather than normalize it.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, both seeking reelection, have taken more measured stances. Abbott acknowledged pride in the university’s football victory and called for unity while simultaneously reaffirming support for strict immigration policies, including a freeze on H1B work visas—a policy that disproportionately affects nationals from India and China. Paxton condemned racism broadly but redirected criticism toward his Democratic opponent, accusing James Talarico of sowing division.
Some Republicans have called on French to retract his statements, including State Representative Lacey Hull of Houston, who urged the nominee to delete his posts and highlighted unity among Texans regardless of background.
The controversy comes amid a competitive political climate in Texas, where moderate challenges have emerged in recent years. Abbott is facing a stronger-than-expected campaign from Democrat Gina Hinojosa, while Paxton’s bid against Talarico has tightened despite his checkered political history, which includes impeachment and criminal charges.
Political analysts note that Republican leaders are balancing concerns about alienating the party’s right-wing base while trying to secure sufficient voter turnout. Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University, observed that while Texas remains a red state, the GOP is wary of diminishing enthusiasm within its conservative base, which includes voters drawn to candidates like French.
French’s emergence as the party’s nominee surprised many given his past rhetoric. While establishment Republicans reportedly tried to prevent his primary victory, Paxton actively supported him, reportedly appearing at French’s campaign kickoff. Paxton’s alignment with French downplays concerns that the state’s GOP ticket could feature multiple controversial figures this election cycle.