AUSTIN — Republican Railroad Commission nominee Bo French is facing growing backlash after using a photo of University of Texas students celebrating Saturday’s win over Ohio State to argue Americans are being “displaced.” Students in the picture are speaking out, and longtime GOP strategist Karl Rove now says he will vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal.
French posted the image on X on Sunday with a caption saying he had heard UT’s graduation “looked like this” and that “the problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” He later shared the photo again, writing that social media showed “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners,” according to posts from his verified account and reporting by The Dallas Morning News and The Texas Tribune.
The still frame came from official Texas Athletics video of the student section at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium after a late touchdown. CBS News Texas confirmed the source of the image.
Seniors Dhairya Gupta and Rahul Kodali, both computer science majors who appear in the photo, told The Dallas Morning News they are U.S. citizens. Gupta, who immigrated from India as a child, said the moment was “just us having some enjoyment” and that people were “being blatantly racist toward us.” Kodali, born in New York and raised in the Dallas area, said, “I’ve been an American my entire life.” Other students told the Tribune French’s comments were “disgusting.”
French defended the posts Monday on The Mark Davis Show, saying the issue was policy, not race, and that institutions should “prioritize Americans.” He called Republican critics “less conservative.” He has not deleted the posts
Outgoing U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and House Speaker Dustin Burrows were among Republicans who condemned the remarks. Gov. Greg Abbott told Politico the picture showed Texans united behind their team and that French’s message “is not my message.”
Rove, a former adviser to President George W. Bush, told attendees at a private Austin lunch Monday he would vote for Rosenthal and called French a “bigot,” according to The Texas Tribune, citing three people at the event. French faces Rosenthal, a Houston Democrat and former oil-field engineer, in November. The Railroad Commission regulates Texas oil and gas.
UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife posted Monday that he saw “Longhorns” in the stands, not a problem. UT President Jim Davis added that “all of them are Longhorns.”
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