A social media post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, has triggered sharp condemnation from prominent members of his own party and his Democratic opponent. As reported by Fox 4 News, French faced immediate backlash after publishing inflammatory remarks targeting a diverse group of University of Texas (UT) football fans celebrating a victory over Ohio State.
On the social media platform X, French shared a photograph of the celebrating students, writing that “the problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” He later reposted the image, comparing social media to body cameras exposing criminals, and claiming it reveals “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners.”
The remarks drew swift condemnation from senior political figures. U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, publicly questioned whether other Republican elected officials would condemn the “intolerance and racism” or allow it to become normalized, warning that “this is how great political parties self-destruct.”
In response, French defended his statements, accusing Cornyn of being a “RINO” (Republican in Name Only) who has cheered for foreign nationals over American citizens.
French’s Democratic opponent in the upcoming election, State Representative Jon Rosenthal, also released a statement criticizing the nominee’s focus. Rosenthal, who highlighted his 25-year career as an engineer in the oil and gas industry, argued that French’s actions show he is unfit to oversee the state’s energy sector. Rosenthal noted that Governor Greg Abbott had previously warned French would “wreck” the oil and gas industry, adding that “a man who can’t tell a Longhorn from a foreigner has no business regulating anything in Texas.”
This is not the first time French has faced calls to withdraw from public life. Last year, he drew widespread criticism for posting a social media poll asking followers whether Jews or Muslims posed a greater threat to America. Although Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called for his resignation at the time, French apologized but remained in the race. The Texas Railroad Commission regulates the state’s massive oil and gas industry, making the seat highly influential in state policy and energy regulation.