# Texas GOP Candidate Refuses to Apologize for 'Racist' UT Post

- URL: https://twotakes.us/stories/texas-gop-candidate-refuses-to-apologize-for-racist-ut-post
- Published: 2026-09-15T19:13:45.415629+00:00
- Topics: texas-politics, race-and-ethnicity, gop, railroad-commissioner, immigration

## What the left says
- The post singled out Asian American and South Asian students by suggesting their presence at a Texas university graduation represented Americans being 'displaced by foreigners,' invoking a longstanding xenophobic trope that citizens of Asian descent are perpetual foreigners.
- Republican operatives worry this rhetoric jeopardizes years of outreach to Hispanic and Asian American voters that helped the GOP make electoral gains in Texas.
- Bipartisan condemnation, including from members of French's own party, signals that many view this as crossing a line beyond normal political disagreement.
- French's refusal to apologize and his decision to double down are seen as normalizing racist rhetoric rather than treating it as an isolated misstep.

## What the right says
- French frames his comments as commentary on immigration policy and demographic change rather than an attack on any individual student or ethnic group.
- Some Republicans view the intense media focus on this story, especially from left-leaning outlets, as an attempt to paint the entire party as racist ahead of elections.
- French's refusal to apologize reflects a broader conservative frustration with being pressured to bow to accusations of racism for statements about immigration.
- Party leaders denouncing French show that Republicans are willing to hold their own accountable rather than uniformly defending him.

## Common ground
- Bo French posted an image of UT-Austin graduates, many of Asian descent, with a caption suggesting Americans were being 'displaced by foreigners.'
- The post drew condemnation from members of both parties and from the University of Texas itself.
- French has not apologized and has reaffirmed his original comments amid the backlash.
- The controversy has sparked concern within his own party about the political fallout in upcoming elections.

## Sources
- [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/15/bo-french-texas-republicans-xenophobic-worries-01076388) (Lean Left)
- [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/14/bo-french-ut-football-students-01075214) (Lean Left)
- [Politico](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/13/john-cornyn-bo-french-texas-students-01073901) (Lean Left)
- [The Hill](https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6089816-ut-students-rebuke-bo-french/) (Center)
- [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/15/university-texas-responds-after-gop-statewide-candidates-racist-posts/) (Lean Left)
- [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/14/texas-republicans-denounce-gop-statewide-candidate-racist-posts-about-ut-students/) (Lean Left)

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