Texas Republicans Call Out Railroad Commissioner Candidate Over Racist Social Media Post

Texas Republicans Call Out Railroad Commissioner Candidate Over Racist Social Media Post

Texas Republicans Are Calling Out Their Own Candidate — Here's What Happened

Politics can get messy, but every once in a while a story comes along where members of the same party turn around and publicly rebuke one of their own. That's exactly what's happening in Texas right now with Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner.

What Happened

(cite index="52-1">On Sunday, French posted a series of social media messages targeting students of color who were celebrating at a University of Texas football game, calling them "foreigners" and implying that Americans were being displaced.</cite> (cite index="54-1">The post included a photo of students who appeared to be of Indian and South Asian descent enjoying the game, alongside a comment suggesting the scene reflected a "problem" that was worse than expected.</cite>

(cite index="52-1">Several people who saw the post pointed out that French was labeling the students "foreigners" without knowing anything about their actual citizenship or background — based purely on how they looked.</cite>

Quick Refresher: What Does a Railroad Commissioner Even Do?

If you're wondering why this matters for someone running for "Railroad Commissioner," you're not alone — it's a bit of a misleading title. (cite index="51-1">The Texas Railroad Commission actually regulates the state's oil and gas industry, not railroads or immigration policy.</cite> That disconnect is a big part of why fellow Republicans were so quick to push back.

The Republican Response Was Swift

This wasn't a quiet, behind-closed-doors kind of criticism — it was loud and public. (cite index="53-1">U.S. Senator John Cornyn was among the first to respond, urging other Republican leaders to speak out against French's comments as well.</cite>

State lawmakers joined in fast. (cite index="51-1">State Rep. Jared Patterson didn't hold back, saying the post was racist and wrong, and stressing that the Railroad Commission has nothing to do with setting immigration policy — arguing that Texans deserve commissioners focused on their actual job, not using a statewide campaign to stir up racial division.</cite>

(cite index="53-1">Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, along with state Reps. Jeff Leach and Lacey Hull, called on French to delete the post entirely.</cite> And (cite index="51-1">former House Speaker Dade Phelan went a step further, calling French "unfit for office."</cite>

This Isn't French's First Controversy

Here's the part that's raising even more eyebrows: this isn't a one-time slip. (cite index="52-1">Several state leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, previously called on French to resign from his role as Tarrant County GOP chair last year, after he published a social media poll asking people to weigh in on which religious group posed a bigger threat to America.</cite>

(cite index="52-1">Patrick had even endorsed French's opponent in the Republican primary earlier this year — though he reportedly softened that stance after French went on to win the primary runoff and become the party's official nominee.</cite>

Not Everyone's Rushing to Comment

Not every Texas Republican has jumped into the fray. (cite index="52-1">One state lawmaker directly challenged Attorney General Ken Paxton on social media, asking whether he would condemn the post or "cower to extremists" — though Paxton's campaign reportedly didn't immediately respond.</cite>

Why This Story Matters

• Party unity has limits. When multiple prominent members of a candidate's own party — including a sitting U.S. Senator — publicly rebuke him weeks before an election, that's a real signal of internal tension.
• Down-ballot races matter more than people think. The Railroad Commissioner position doesn't get much national attention, but stories like this show how even lower-profile statewide races can become flashpoints.
• A pattern is harder to dismiss than a single incident. With this being at least the second high-profile controversy tied to French, critics argue it's becoming difficult to frame this as an isolated misstep.

Bottom Line

With Election Day just weeks away, French now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being publicly criticized by leaders in his own party — including a U.S. Senator and multiple sitting state legislators. Whether this changes the outcome of the race, or whether it fades from headlines like some past controversies have, is something worth watching as November approaches.

We'll keep following this story as more Texas leaders weigh in.