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Tiana Lowe Doescher discusses how Republican nominee Bo French for Texas railroad commissioner has faced backlash from within his party due to racist comments he made on X about students of color at a University of Texas football game. Washington Examiner economics columnist Doescher appeared on CNN’s This Morning to explain that French’s post “triggered Republicans in a way that other things don’t,” highlighting the unusual level of condemnation for racial insensitivity among Republican figures, including Sen. John Cornyn who stated he won’t vote for French and called him an embarrassment to the party.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A photo of University of Texas at Austin students celebrating a football game went viral in September 2026 after Bo French, a Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, mislabeled it as the university's graduation ceremony and criticized its diversity. The post sparked intense backlash, with many calling his comments racist. Former President George W. Bush’s advisor Karl Rove stated he would vote for Democratic opponent Jon Rosenthal for only the second time in his life. Sen. John Cornyn declared French an embarrassment to the Republican Party and said he wouldn't vote for him, potentially dragging down other GOP candidates. Despite this controversy, UT Austin remains a predominantly Texan institution, with over 80% of its students being Texas residents. The incident highlighted growing concerns about white nationalism within the Republican Party. Karl Rove criticized French’s comments as un-American and out-of-touch with the values that have driven Texas's economic success. Supporters like Federalist CEO Sean Davis defended French’s stance, arguing for a nativist perspective on immigration. This debate underscores the internal conflict within the GOP over inclusivity versus nativism. Texas Governor Greg Abbott distanced himself from French while still supporting anti-immigration policies, reflecting a broader divide in conservative circles. The controversy brought national attention to issues of racial and cultural inclusion in politics, particularly within Texas's influential Republican Party. Despite this, UT Austin continues to demonstrate the benefits of diversity, maintaining its position as a key institution in America’s "new center of gravity." Critics argue that nativist views could harm Texas’s economic growth and cultural vibrancy. This episode illustrates the challenges facing Republicans as they grapple with the changing demographics of the United States. Nick Gillespie argues that embracing diversity is essential for continued prosperity, while others like Sean Davis stress the importance of preserving what they see as traditional American values. The incident also highlights how social media can rapidly escalate political controversies and reshape public perceptions of candidates and parties. Despite French’s inflammatory comments, many Texas Republicans are focused on maintaining a welcoming image to attract both economic investment and diverse populations essential for future growth. The debate over inclusivity and nativism continues to shape the national conversation about immigration and cultural identity within conservative politics.
Written for “Texas Politics Racism Debate” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.
Washington Examiner economics columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher said Republican nominee for Texas railroad commissioner, Bo French, is drawing backlash from his party over racist comments.
asserted
nominee → say → comments
“This triggered Republicans in a way that other things don’t, it’s because it wasn’t a cultural argument,” Doescher said on CNN’s CNN This Morning on Friday.
asserted
Doescher → trigger → Friday
French drew controversy after posting a photo featuring mostly students of color from a Sept. 12 game between the University of Texas and Ohio State.
asserted
French → draw → Texas
“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this.
asserted
graduation → hear → this
I didn’t believe it.
asserted
I → believe → it
The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” French said on X.
Republicans bashed French for the post.
asserted
Republicans → imagine → post
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) even said he won’t be voting for French after the comments.
asserted
he → say → comments
“No,” Cornyn told the Washington Examiner.
asserted
Cornyn → tell → Examiner
“He’s an embarrassment to the Republican Party, and he’s going to drag the whole ticket down because of his racist comments.”
asserted
he → ’ → comments
Cornyn also responded to French’s X post, saying, “This is the Republican nominee for statewide office.
asserted
This → respond → office
Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized.
asserted
it → elect → intolerance
This is how great political parties self-destruct.
asserted
parties → destruct → ?
Doescher emphasized that in terms of immigration, the United States should not allow people in the country that “bring cultural norms that are antithetical to the United States.”
asserted
that → emphasize → States
She said people who believe homosexuality should be criminalized, or that women shouldn’t be in public spaces, should not be allowed in the U.S., but maintained, “That wasn’t this.”
asserted
That → say → U.S.
“This showed a bunch of students of, who are not white, engaging in the most Texas thing you could, just being at a football game, in a cowboy hat,” Doescher said.
uncertain
Doescher → show → hat
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