In the lead-up to the GOP primary runoffs in May, Governor Greg Abbott issued a strong warning regarding Bo French, a Republican candidate vying for a position on the Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the state’s oil and gas sector. “His agenda would wreck the miracle that we have in producing more oil and gas than ever before,” Abbott remarked during an event where he campaigned for French’s primary rival, Jim Wright.
Abbott wasn’t alone in his opposition; Republican leaders across the board sought to prevent French from securing the nomination. However, at that time, none of these Republicans addressed French’s extensive history of making racist, antisemitic, homophobic, ableist, and anti-trans remarks on social media. This included a controversial statement he made last October, referring to an impending end to SNAP services as “National Chimp Out Day.”
Despite the backlash, French ultimately emerged victorious in the primary, leading Abbott and the Republican Party to rally around him. With less than 50 days remaining until the midterm elections in November, French is now facing a wave of criticism, even from within his own party. This follows a social media post where he shared an image of predominantly South Asian students from the University of Texas at Austin celebrating a football victory, captioning it with a comment that implied “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners.”
As a chorus of Republicans condemned French’s remarks as racist, none have withdrawn their endorsements. Some party figures, including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, have chosen to remain silent, while others have issued vague criticisms that do not directly confront French or his statement.
Among the most vocal critics this week was Representative Jeff Leach of Plano, who urged French to remove his post. Leach shared a photo of his son, another UT student at the game, and remarked, “Bo thinks it’s a ‘problem’ they don’t all look like and have the same skin color as [him]. I think that’s racist — and it makes me sick.” Nevertheless, Leach confirmed that he still intends to vote for French. “I’m voting for every Republican up and down the ballot,” he stated. “I might have to hold my nose to do so, but voting for the Democrat in this race? I know him, and he’s a radical.”
On Sunday, House Speaker Dustin Burrows joined the calls for French to delete his divisive post, labeling it as “demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity” and insisted that “this post has crossed the line.” When asked if he plans to endorse or campaign with French, Burrows reiterated his support for the entire Republican ticket.
So far, only two Republicans have indicated they will not support French. Political strategist Karl Rove disclosed privately at an Austin luncheon his decision to back French’s Democratic opponent, marking the first time in thirty years he would not vote for a Republican. Rove later expanded on his criticisms in a Wall Street Journal column, stating, “The GOP has a growing number of Bo Frenches — and not only in Texas… These people are diminishing the Republican Party, not building it. I’ll have no part of it.”
On Thursday, U.S. Senator John Cornyn, the first Republican to publicly denounce French’s tweet, confirmed he would not vote for French, describing him as “an embarrassment to the Republican Party” who risks dragging down the entire ticket. “I may just leave it blank,” Cornyn added.
Democrats, eager to achieve their first statewide win in Texas since 1994, argue that Republicans had every opportunity to disavow French’s rhetoric. They contend that their silence is a deliberate choice. “Bo French is an opinion leader within the base of the Republican Party, and it is why the top nominees are afraid to so openly break with him,” said Democratic strategist Matt Angle.
French’s controversial history is well-established. By the time he announced his candidacy for the Railroad Commission in November, he had made a series of inflammatory remarks, questioning whether Democrats were “retarded” or “gay,” and polling his followers on whether Muslims or Jews posed a greater threat to the United States. He even suggested the deportation of a Democratic state lawmaker born in Pakistan, as well as making disparaging comments about the family of Texas Democratic House leader Gene Wu.
Despite facing significant opposition, French continued his campaign unabated, even as Jim Wright garnered support from key industry figures and elected officials. After forcing a runoff, French openly encouraged Republicans to embrace “Islamophobia” and made inflammatory calls for massive deportations. Following his primary win, he made statements about targeting specific ethnic groups.
Throughout the primary season, Abbott was notably critical of French. However, upon French’s primary victory, Abbott changed his stance, proclaiming unity among Republicans and expressing his support for French. When questioned about French’s recent social media post, Abbott stated, “that is not my message,” adding that the photograph exemplified how Texans unite.
Two students featured in the controversial image have since clarified that they are U.S. citizens. Abbott’s campaign did not respond to inquiries about whether he planned to campaign with French or condemn his previous comments. Meanwhile, Patrick, who had previously called for French’s resignation due to antisemitic remarks, has yet to comment on the recent controversy.
Jon Rosenthal, the Democratic nominee for the Railroad Commission and a target of French’s previous attacks, is hopeful that the negative perceptions surrounding French, coupled with the ongoing scandals involving Ken Paxton, a French ally and Republican Senate nominee, will adversely affect all GOP candidates. “It’s hard to separate yourself from the top of your ticket,” Rosenthal noted.
Despite the criticism, a number of supporters have come forward to defend French. Among them is Brandon Hall, a member of the state board of education, who expressed his backing on social media, stating, “I stand with Bo. It has nothing to do with skin color. It’s about preserving our Texas way of life.”
