Overview
- On Sunday, Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, posted a photo of University of Texas students on X and wrote that the scene showed Texas institutions were “overrun by illegal aliens and foreign nationals.”
- Senator John Cornyn led a wave of Republican rebukes that included calls from GOP leaders for French to delete the post and warnings that such rhetoric threatens the party’s future.
- French refused to delete the post and responded by calling Cornyn and other critics “RINOs,” repeating claims that foreigners are displacing Texans and doubling down on his immigration message.
- Governor Greg Abbott declined to directly condemn the post, describing the image as a sign of Texas unity, while French kept political and industry backing including a recent endorsement from the Texas Oil & Gas Association PAC and prior support from Attorney General Ken Paxton.
- The controversy matters because the three‑member Railroad Commission has broad control over oil and gas rules and pipeline oversight, and party divisions now risk shaping endorsements, voter turnout, and how Republican leaders police extreme rhetoric before the November elections.