Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, is facing criticism from Republicans and Democrats after posting a photo of University of Texas students celebrating at a football game alongside comments about the racial makeup of the crowd.
"I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined," wrote French. He added that social media was "exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners."
The photo showed a group of students of color celebrating in the stands. French later said he was referring to what he described as Texas families being unable to get into UT because the university prioritizes "foreigners over Texans."
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. pic.twitter.com/Fz6t0tojdg
— Bo French (@bofrench) September 13, 2026
The University of Texas accepts approximately 90% of undergraduate students from Texas high schools. About 10.2% of students are considered out-of-state, while only an estimated 9.3% are international.
The comments drew condemnation from members of both parties. U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) called the post "intolerance and racism" and questioned whether other Republican officials would condemn it. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) said people can oppose immigration policy without "demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity" and called on French to delete the post.
Texas Rep. Speaker Dade Phelan (R) also criticized French, stating, "As a Longhorn, this person is unfit for office; as a Republican, this person is unfit for office."
Democratic Senate Nominee James Talarico spoke out, thanking Cornyn and saying, "Racism has no place in Texas." State Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D), a UT alumna, also said she and her son "condemn racism" and French's post.
Jon Rosenthal, the Democratic nominee for Railroad Commissioner and former oil and gas engineer, also criticized French, saying the candidate had focused on students' skin color rather than the responsibilities of the office.
The controversy comes after previous criticism of French over comments concerning Jews and Muslims, which prompted Republican leaders to call for his resignation as Tarrant County GOP chair in 2025.
