AUSTIN, Texas – A social media post by Republican Railroad Commission candidate Bo French has turned a University of Texas football celebration into a statewide political controversy, drawing criticism from Democrats and several prominent Republicans while also receiving support from some conservative activists.
The dispute began after the Texas Longhorns defeated Ohio State in Austin. French shared an image showing a group of UT students, many of them appearing to be of South Asian descent, celebrating in the stands.
“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” French wrote on X. He added that “the problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”
French later posted that Americans were being “displaced by foreigners.”
The posts quickly spread across social media and drew accusations that French had assumed the people shown were foreign based largely on their appearance. French had not presented evidence about the citizenship or immigration status of the students in the photograph.
Several of the students pictured have since spoken publicly.
Dhairya Gupta, a UT senior seen in the photograph, told The Texas Tribune that he did not see anything wrong with a group of students cheering for their school.
“When I look at that picture, I don’t see a problem,” Gupta said.
The University of Texas also responded indirectly to the controversy, saying it was proud to celebrate its students and describing those attending the game as enthusiastic Longhorn fans.
French Stands By His Argument
French has not backed away from the broader point he says he was trying to make.
During an appearance on conservative radio host Mark Davis’ program Monday, French said the issue was about whether American institutions should give priority to Americans instead of foreign nationals.
“I don’t have anything against the people specifically in that picture,” French said.
He argued that the criticism was coming in part from Republicans who opposed him during the primary and described some of his critics as less conservative.
French has also framed the dispute as part of a larger “America First” debate over immigration, college admissions and foreign workers.
Available enrollment numbers, however, do not support the idea that international students make up most of UT Austin’s undergraduate population. Reuters reported that international students account for about 4.3 percent of undergraduates. Texas law also requires 90 percent of each entering undergraduate class at UT Austin to be Texas residents.
Republicans Publicly Push Back
Some of the sharpest criticism has come from members of French’s own party.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn condemned the post and warned that Republicans should not allow racial or ethnic attacks to become accepted inside the party.
“This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad,” Cornyn wrote.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows also criticized French. Burrows said Republicans can oppose immigration policies without attacking people because of their race or ethnicity and called on French to delete the post.
Republican state Rep. Jared Patterson was even more direct. He called the post racist and said there was nothing conservative about looking at Texas students and declaring them a problem because of how they look.
State Rep. Drew Darby, the Republican chairman of the Texas House Energy Resources Committee, also condemned the comments and called for an apology. Darby noted that his committee has jurisdiction over matters involving the Railroad Commission.
On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called French’s post “idiotic” while speaking with reporters at the Capitol, although Cruz stopped short of calling French racist or demanding an apology.
Gov. Greg Abbott took a different approach. Abbott said French’s message was “not my message” and said the photograph instead showed how Texans can unite around their state and college football teams. Abbott also continued to defend tougher immigration policies and restrictions involving H-1B visas at Texas universities.
Attorney General Ken Paxton said he condemns racism in all forms but used his response to criticize Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico over past statements about race.
Some Conservatives Defend French
French has also received support.
Conservative activist and Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez wrote that French was “1000% correct” and argued that critics were ignoring the effects of immigration on Texas.
Jake Lloyd Colglazier, who identifies himself as president of the Fort Worth Young Republicans, called French’s original post “perfectly reasonable” and said the backlash showed deeper disagreements over immigration policy.
French has used the criticism from establishment Republicans as part of his own political argument. He has portrayed the fight as another battle between grassroots conservatives and the Republican establishment that opposed him during the primary.
Railroad Commission Race Suddenly Gets More Attention
French is running against Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal for a seat on the three-member Texas Railroad Commission.
Despite its name, the Railroad Commission does not regulate railroads. It is one of the most important energy regulatory agencies in the country and oversees much of Texas’ oil and natural gas industry.
The race normally receives far less public attention than contests for governor or U.S. Senate. French’s comments have changed that, at least temporarily.
Rosenthal said the controversy brought approximately 500 new donors to his campaign and about $35,000 in contributions. He has also used the dispute to contrast his background as an engineer in the oil and gas industry with French’s political campaign.
Perhaps the most unusual development came from Karl Rove, the longtime Republican strategist and former adviser to President George W. Bush.
Rove told people at a private Austin event that he plans to vote for Rosenthal, the Democrat, instead of French. According to people who attended the event, Rove called French a “bigot.” Rove said he has almost always voted Republican during his adult life.
President Donald Trump later attacked Rove on Truth Social, calling him bad for the Republican Party. Trump’s response focused on Rove rather than defending French’s original comments.
The political arm of the Texas Oil and Gas Association presents another unusual part of the controversy. The group had endorsed French shortly before the incident. It later condemned his post “unequivocally and without reservation,” but did not announce that it was withdrawing the endorsement.
Controversy Reaches Other Texas Campaigns
The effects are no longer limited to the Railroad Commission race.
Republican candidates running for other offices are now being asked whether they agree with French, disagree with him or still support his candidacy. That creates another issue for campaigns already trying to keep voters focused on their own races.
Democrats, meanwhile, are using the controversy to challenge Republican candidates about their support for French and about broader questions involving immigration and race.
The episode also comes weeks before the November general election, when Texans will vote on the Railroad Commission seat as well as other major statewide and congressional races.
French has continued defending the policy argument behind his comments, while his opponents are continuing to focus attention on his decision to use a photograph of students whose citizenship he did not know.
For voters, the dispute has transformed what is usually a low-profile regulatory race into a much larger argument over immigration, political rhetoric and who gets to define what it means to be a Texan.
