Texas Republicans Could Create Appearance
of Condoning Racism if They Stick by French
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September 14, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott and the other Republicans on the Texas ballot run the risk of making it look like they're embracing racism and xenophobia if they continue to support the entire ticket after statewide candidate Bo French's social media post with a picture of Asian students at the Texas-Ohio State game.
French - the GOP nominee for railroad commissioner - turned the party's coordinated campaign here on its head on Sunday when he pinned the photo to his X page with a derogatory cutline analysis. French doubled down in the face of a volcanic backlash from some fellow Republicans - claiming in a follow-up post that Texas public universities have been invaded by foreign nationals and migrants in the country illegally.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn led a relatively small parade of elected Texas Republicans who condemned French's post and demanded that it be removed without delay. The group that spoke out against the RRC candidate's antics featured Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows and several of his highest-ranking lieutenants including predecessor Dade Phelan.
GOP State Rep. Jared Patterson of Frisco hit French the hardest - contending that a candidate for the commission that regulates the oil and gas industry has no business using a campaign for statewide office as a platform for racial hate.
"This is racist. It is wrong," Patterson said. "And I condemn it without reservation. There is absolutely nothing Christian or conservative about looking at a crowd of young Texans at a college football game, seeing the color of their skin, and declaring that they are a “problem.” These are 20-year-old kids cheering for their university—not political props and not targets for racial attacks."
Burrows, a Lubbock lawmaker in his first term with the gavel, was more economical with his rebuke of the RRC contender's antics. "You can oppose immigration policy without demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity — this post has crossed the line. Delete it"
But deleting a post on social media does not make it go away - especially when it's gone viral already. And none of the Texas Republicans who've weighed in on the French post have called for French to suspend his campaign or for voters to reject him by skipping the RRC race or backing Democrat Jon Rosenthal for the job instead.
That would blow another giant hole in the GOP's push to unite its voters at a time when it's counting on a heavy turnout from base voters after making no attempt this year to reach out beyond them. The entire statewide slate and the GOP candidates in down-ballot races could be adversely affected if Republican voters take a stand against racism and bigotry by refusing to support their nominee for the RRC.
The Republican elected officials and candidates who don't call for French to go or for voters to take him out could be putting themselves in position to be branded as racists in a passive sense by continuing to support the entire ticket in the Lone Star State in the midterm election on November 3.
Abbott, who's doing battle with Democrat Gina Hinojosa in a governor's race that's been historically close, declined to criticize the railroad commission nominee for the UT football game photograph post.
“That is not my message," Abbott said. "A selective picture of Longhorn fans celebrating our biggest home victory-ever-actually shows a way that Texans unite. We all support our college football teams. The way we win the state is the same way we win football games. We unite under the brand of Texas.
"That doesn't mean that Texas cannot also lead in having the toughest immigration laws of any state in America and freezing H1B visas at our universities," the governor added.
U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton, the third-term Texas attorney general, seized on the furor that French triggered as an opportunity to bash Democratic opponent James Talarico. But Paxton, as the Republican who's leading the ticket in 2026, said nothing negative about French or the prospects of pulling his support for the RRC nominee.
"I condemn racism in all its forms, including James Talarico saying white men are America's top terror threat and that he prays to overcome his own 'whiteness,' whatever that means," Paxton asserted on X. "Only one person in this race has a history of dividing Texans by race, and it’s James Talarico. I will continue to focus on uniting our State and bringing together the broadest possible coalition to fight for Texas, our values, and our families."
Even Patterson stopped short of calling for French to get out of the race or urging voters to refuse to support him at the polls this fall. But Patterson decried the former Tarrant County GOP behavior nonetheless.
"This does not represent my Christian faith," Patterson said. "It does not represent my conservative principles. And it does not represent the Republican Party I believe in. As a Texas Aggie, I’m always happy to take a friendly shot at the Longhorns when the opportunity presents itself. That rivalry is part of what makes these two great universities so special. But this goes far beyond college rivalry. We should be willing to call racism wrong no matter who says it, what party they belong to, or how politically inconvenient it may be. This is wrong, and I want no part of it."
more to come ...
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