Texas GOP Splits Over Candidate's 'Displaced by Foreigners' Post
Intra-Party Split Detected
Prominent Texas Republicans (Cornyn, Crenshaw, Hull, Abbott aides) condemned Bo French's post about Asian/South Asian UT students as racist, while other conservative voices (BlazeTV hosts, some online supporters) defended him and framed critics as capitulating to left-wing narratives. A similar but smaller split emerged over GOP leaders' muted response to candidate Brandon Herrera's vulgar past remarks.
Left says
- •The post targeting Asian American students at a Texas football game reflects a broader pattern of racist and xenophobic rhetoric being normalized within parts of the Republican Party.
- •Prominent Republicans like John Cornyn and Dan Crenshaw who condemned French were themselves marginalized or defeated by Trump-aligned primary challengers, raising questions about which voices the party is elevating.
- •House Speaker Mike Johnson's defense of Brandon Herrera's vulgar, misogynistic remarks as merely an 'online persona' shows a willingness to excuse offensive conduct when politically convenient.
- •Leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton avoided direct condemnation of French's post, choosing instead to deflect or pivot to unrelated policy talking points like H-1B visas.
Right says
- •French's supporters argue he was raising legitimate concerns about demographic change and the effects of immigration policy on native-born Americans, not making a racist attack.
- •Many conservatives believe the backlash reflects a double standard, noting Democratic figures like Graham Platner faced controversies over offensive material yet still secured their party's nomination.
- •Some on the right argue the Republican Party risks alienating its base if it distances itself from candidates who speak bluntly about demographic and immigration concerns.
- •French has refused to delete or apologize for his posts, framing his stance as defending Texas voters and institutions like UT-Austin from being reshaped by outside interests.
Common Take
High Consensus- Bo French posted a photo of University of Texas students celebrating a football win and claimed it showed Americans being 'displaced by foreigners.'
- Multiple prominent Texas Republicans, including Sen. John Cornyn, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, and state Rep. Lacey Hull, publicly criticized French's post.
- French has not deleted the post and has continued defending his comments despite the backlash.
- Both parties have faced controversy this election cycle over candidates' past offensive or inflammatory statements, including Democrat Graham Platner and Republican Brandon Herrera.
The Arguments
Left argues
French's post singling out students by race and calling them 'foreigners' who 'displaced' Americans reflects a normalization of racist rhetoric within the GOP, especially since it received millions of views and party leaders were slow to unambiguously condemn it.
Right counters
French and his supporters argue he was making a demographic and policy point about immigration's effects on native-born Americans at public universities, not attacking anyone's race, and that labeling blunt immigration commentary as 'racist' shuts down legitimate debate.
Right argues
Many conservatives see a double standard: Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner survived controversies including a Nazi tattoo, comments dismissing sexual assault, and a rape allegation to secure his party's nomination, yet French faces calls for immediate disqualification over a single post.
Left counters
The comparison is imperfect — Platner faced sustained backlash and ultimately suspended his campaign, while French has doubled down and refused to apologize even as fellow Republicans asked him to delete the post, making the situations not equivalent in accountability.
Left argues
House Speaker Mike Johnson's dismissal of Brandon Herrera's vulgar, misogynistic comments as just an 'online persona' — while still praising his campaign — reveals a willingness among party leaders to excuse offensive conduct when the candidate is politically useful or Trump-aligned.
Right counters
Johnson did call the language 'detestable' rather than defend its content, and distinguishing between a past online persona and a candidate's current conduct in office is a reasonable, common standard applied to public figures across the political spectrum.
Right argues
Some conservatives argue the GOP risks alienating its base by reflexively distancing itself from candidates who speak bluntly about demographic change, since a significant share of the party's voters share concerns about immigration's cultural and institutional effects.
Left counters
Framing American-born Asian and South Asian students as 'foreigners' who don't belong isn't blunt policy talk — it's racial othering of U.S. citizens, and normalizing that rhetoric risks far greater long-term damage to the party's credibility and coalition.
Left argues
Leaders like Gov. Abbott and AG Paxton avoided directly condemning French's post, instead pivoting to unrelated H-1B visa policy or attacking Democrats for 'dividing Texans by race,' suggesting political calculation is taking precedence over clear moral leadership.
Right counters
Redirecting to legitimate policy concerns like visa reform isn't necessarily evasion — it can reflect a judgment that the underlying issue of demographic change and institutional capture is worth addressing substantively rather than through a symbolic condemnation of one candidate's post.
Challenge Questions
These questions target genuine internal contradictions — meant to provoke honest reflection.
Right asks Left
“If Democrats can nominate and stand behind a candidate like Graham Platner despite a Nazi tattoo, comments dismissing sexual assault, and a rape allegation, what principled standard distinguishes that from the left's insistence that Republicans immediately disown Bo French?”
Left asks Right
“If the concern is genuinely about demographic and immigration policy rather than race, why did French's post single out the racial appearance of American citizens at a football game rather than address any specific visa or enrollment policy?”
Outlier Report
Left Fringe
Figures like Democratic candidate James Talarico who frame this as proof of systemic GOP racism represent a more aggressive interpretation; roughly 15-20% of the left may push this into broader 'Republicans are inherently racist' territory rather than viewing French as an isolated bad actor.
Right Fringe
Commentators like Auron MacIntyre and John Doyle (BlazeTV) who explicitly frame the backlash as anti-white bias and argue the GOP should lean into demographic grievance politics represent a vocal but likely minority faction, perhaps 20-25% of the right, with most Republican elected officials distancing themselves from this framing.
Noise Assessment
High—much of the loudest reaction comes from X posts and commentary amplified by political media, while everyday Republican voters and independents are less engaged with the specific incident than the online discourse suggests.
Sources (6)
<p>Republicans have condemned, sidestepped or continued to support two <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/09/05/trump-magainc-paxton-talarico-texas-senate" target="_blank">Texas</a> GOP nominees after one's racist post this weekend about students of color and another's years of vulgar comments about women sparked backlash.</p><p><strong>The big picture: </strong>In a fiercely heated midterm election, some candidates' racist, sexist and crude material online hasn't always been enough to cost them their party's support.</p><ul><li><em>Warning: This story includes crude, sexually explicit language that may disturb some readers.</em></li></ul><hr /><p><strong>Driving the news: </strong>House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked Sunday on CNN about vulgar comments Brandon Herrera, a YouTuber-turned-candidate running for a key Texas district, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/09/politics/brandon-herrera-midterms-offensive-comments" target="_blank">made</a> online in the past — including calling a Nazi submachine gun the "original ghetto blaster."</p><ul><li>In a 2023 clip played on CNN's "State of the Union" of Herrera <a href="https://x.com/TheAKGuy/status/1614376000028135432" target="_blank">addressing</a> Moms Demand Action's Shannon Watts, he said, "Just because you let somebody cream-pie you doesn't mean I have to give a s--t about your political opinions. The fact that you kept your c-m trophy doesn't make you any less wrong about the dumb s--t that you say."</li><li>Johnson, who campaigned for Herrera, called the language "detestable" — but applauded his "very effective campaign." He continued, "That was — that was his [YouTuber] persona online, right? Right now, he's running as a very serious candidate for Congress and a very thoughtful guy."</li><li>Herrera is running for the seat ex<strong>-</strong>Rep. <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/04/house-ethics-investigation-tony-gonzales-affair" target="_self">Tony Gonzales</a> resigned in April after admitting to an <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/23/tony-gonzales-affair-staffer-gop-resignation-calls" target="_self">affair with a staffer</a> who later died by suicide. President <a href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">Trump</a> initially endorsed Gonzales but then <a href="https://truthsocial.com/%40realDonaldTrump/posts/116213110990414470" target="_blank">threw</a> his support behind Herrera. </li></ul><p><strong>Zoom out:</strong> Bo French, the Republican nominee for the state's Railroad Commission, which regulates the gas industry, sparked outrage this weekend after sharing a photo of students of color celebrating at a Texas Longhorns' game.</p><ul><li><strong>"</strong>I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined," French <a href="https://x.com/bofrench/status/2099118916282810552" target="_blank">wrote</a> in the post<strong> that, at the time of this article's publication, had received some 36.7 million views.</strong></li><li>In a separate <a href="https://x.com/bofrench/status/2099142867025383497" target="_blank">post</a>, he wrote that "social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners."</li></ul><p><strong>What they're saying:</strong> Sen. John Cornyn, who lost to a GOP challenger <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/19/trump-endorsement-texas-senate-race-ken-paxton" target="_blank">endorsed by</a> President Trump, <a href="https://x.com/JohnCornyn/status/2099140515883073626" target="_blank">blasted</a> the post, writing, "Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized."</p><ul><li>Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), who did not have the president's support and lost to a primary challenger, also <a href="https://x.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/2099252009366847920" target="_blank">slammed</a> French. </li><li>Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico praised Cornyn's condemnation and called on GOP nominee Ken Paxton to follow suit. Paxton didn't address French's post, instead <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2099253987711005098" target="_blank">directing</a> his condemnation at Talarico as the one "dividing Texans by race."</li><li>Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stopped short of condemning French's post, though he said it was "not my message," and instead emphasized his support for <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/18/texas-public-schools-h1b-visa-ban-proposal/" target="_blank">freezing</a> H-1B visas at universities.</li></ul><p><strong>Yes, but: </strong>It's not just Republicans with skeletons in their closets. Graham Platner's past social media posts dismissing sexual assault and denigrating police, plus his Nazi symbol tattoo, made him a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/08/trump-effect-platner-maine-democrats" target="_blank">ticking time bomb</a> even before a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/06/graham-platner-sexual-assault-allegation-00987737" target="_blank">rape allegation</a> — which he denies <strong>— </strong>derailed his campaign.</p><ul><li>But he <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/06/graham-platner-maine-senate-fundraising" target="_blank">rode out</a> the earlier social media<strong> </strong>controversy for months, securing the party's nomination and key endorsements before ultimately suspending his campaign.</li></ul><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> It comes in an era where more and more candidates' online lives and internet diatribes are becoming an un-erasable part of their record, haunting campaigns.</p><ul><li>But in Herrera's and French's case, the Texas Republicans don't seem to be backing down from some of their comments that sparked the controversy. French has continued to double down even after fellow <a href="https://x.com/Burrows4TX/status/2099172613054509466" target="_blank">state</a> <a href="https://x.com/LaceyHullTx/status/2099166743386059060" target="_blank">Republicans</a> have called on him to delete the post.</li><li>And in <a href="https://x.com/TheAKGuy/status/2097712687023010165" target="_blank">response</a> to CNN reporting featuring his crude comments about women's weight, Herrera wrote last week, "Man, I forgot I was this funny."</li></ul><p><strong>Go deeper: </strong><a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/16/trump-vance-women-problem-voters" target="_blank">Behind the Curtain: Trump's "caught on tape" women problem</a></p>
<img src="https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/gop-civil-war-over-race-ignites-after-republican-posts-university-of-texas-crowd-photo.jpg?id=67770768&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C78%2C0%2C29" /><br /><br /><p>A Republican running for a statewide race in Texas has lit a firestorm on the right after noting the racial demographics of the student section at the University of Texas football game over the weekend.</p><p>On Saturday night, the Texas Longhorns hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes for an early-season marquee showdown between two top-five teams. While the Buckeyes led most of the game, the Longhorns stormed back in the fourth quarter and won, 24-23.</p><p class="pull-quote">'Texans didn’t ask for their state to become a playground for the third world.'</p><p>As might be expected, the hometown Texas crowd was ecstatic, and one photo in particular seemed to capture the exuberance of the UT student section.</p><p>Only not everyone is celebrating it.</p><p>On Sunday morning, Bo French, a Republican running for Texas railroad commissioner, shared the photo of non-white UT students on X and <a href="https://x.com/bofrench/status/2099142867025383497" target="_blank">remarked</a>, "Like body-cams exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners. It’s everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine."</p><p>French was swiftly inundated with condemnation by many other X users, including prominent voices on the right.</p><p> Outgoing Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) <a href="https://x.com/JohnCornyn/status/2099140515883073626" target="_blank">replied</a>, "This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad."</p><p>Texas state Rep. Lacey Hull <a href="https://x.com/LaceyHullTx/status/2099166743386059060" target="_blank">said</a>, "Please delete this. This post breaks my heart. I see college kids cheering on their football team. I see Texans."</p><p>Former Trump Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin <a href="https://x.com/TriciaOhio/status/2099219437408702555" target="_blank">commented</a>, "This is gross. Touch grass."</p><p>Democrat U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico <a href="https://x.com/jamestalarico/status/2099183831077015860" target="_blank">joined</a> in, calling French's post "blatant racism" and adding, "Racism has no place in Texas."</p><p><strong>RELATED: </strong><a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/wake-up-call-for-redskins-ownership-family-of-canceled-native-hero-wants-team-name-icon-to-return" target="_self"><strong>Wake-up call for Redskins ownership: Family of canceled native hero wants team name, icon to return</strong></a></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="" class="rm-shortcode" id="757ac" src="https://www.theblaze.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=67770789&width=1245&height=700&quality=50&coordinates=0%2C53%2C0%2C54" /> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit">Alex Slitz/Getty Images</small></p><p>While accusations of racism abounded, French also has plenty of supporters who argue that native-born Americans have been unfairly edged out of public universities like UT-Austin by foreign-born students.</p><p>BlazeTV host Auron MacIntyre <a href="https://x.com/AuronMacintyre/status/2099223433355710645" target="_blank">quipped</a>, "The Texas GOP is furious that Bo noticed these cowards are selling the state to foreign interests and replacing the population with Indians."</p><p>BlazeTV host John Doyle called French a "patriot," <a href="https://x.com/JohnDoyle/status/2099168750603784430" target="_blank">slammed</a> Republicans for echoing Democrat talking points about "racism," and suggested that the GOP cannot survive without directly appealing to white voters:</p><blockquote>As a matter of simple arithmetic, the Party will be destroyed when it ceases to win elections because it cannot get the votes to win. 85% of all votes cast for the Republican Party come from white Americans. Since the historic American electorate has been overwhelmingly white, it squares that the people most interested in the conservation of America would be white. </blockquote><p>"Texans didn’t ask for their state to become a playground for the third world," he added.</p><p>According to Kalshi, on Sunday, Democrat candidate Jon Rosenthal <a href="https://x.com/KalshiPolitics/status/2099248372397850843" target="_blank">briefly</a> overtook French in the betting odds for the Texas railroad commissioner race, but within a couple of hours, French had <a href="https://x.com/KalshiPolitics/status/2099285085300134220" target="_blank">retaken</a> the lead.</p><p>French does not appear to be backing down from his comments. </p><p>By Sunday afternoon, he <a href="https://x.com/bofrench/status/2099179827215335911" target="_blank">tweeted</a>: "Generations of Texans have invested billions of dollars into UT. Today it is filled with foreign nationals and Leftists who <a href="https://x.com/OccupyDemocrats/status/2098823603051511916/video/1" target="_blank">boo Ted Cruz</a>. John Cornyn says we should accept decline. The voters I talk to want to return our institutions to serving the interests of citizens."</p><p><em>Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. </em><em><a href="https://www.theblaze.com/newsletters/theblaze-articlelink" target="_self">Sign up here</a></em><em>!</em></p>
Bo French, a Texas Republican running for the state’s railroad commission, reemphasized his viral social media post about Asian American students at the University of Texas.
Bo French, the GOP candidate for the state’s railroad commission, has repeatedly engaged in inflammatory rhetoric.
Texas Republicans on Sunday condemned the GOP candidate running to become the state’s railroad commissioner over a post about University of Texas at Austin students of South Asian descent. Candidate Bo French’s post showed South Asian students at a Texas football game, and he suggested people of South Asian descent were taking over the student…
Bo French, a GOP candidate for Texas Railroad commissioner, posted a photo of students celebrating a football win and said it showed “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners.”