Railroad Commission candidate defends social media posts after criticism from Texas Republicans
September 15, 2026
- What: Bo French defended social media posts that targeted a group of University of Texas at Austin students.
- Who: French, a candidate for the Railroad Commission, faced criticism from Republican leaders including Dustin Burrows and U.S. Senator John Cornyn.
- Where: The posts involved students at the University of Texas at Austin.
- Why it matters: The exchange highlights tensions within Texas Republican circles over campaign remarks and whether they reflect policy concerns or racial issues.
Bo French, who is campaigning for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, defended social media posts that targeted a group of students at the University of Texas at Austin. Republican leaders, among them state lawmaker Dustin Burrows and U.S. Senator John Cornyn, criticized the messages.
French maintained his remarks were focused on policy issues rather than racial factors. He rejected the characterization that his comments were motivated by race while standing by the content of his posts.
The backlash from prominent Republicans brought wider attention to the social media exchange and raised questions within political circles about the tone and substance of campaign communications. French remains a candidate in the Railroad Commission race as the debate continues.
The reporting on this dispute originated with a local news outlet, which first publicized the criticism and Frenchs response.
Sources
- KXAN report