Conservative Candidate Bashed by Republicans for Noting Texas Student Section Filled with Foreign Students at Ohio State Game
A Texas Republican candidate for statewide office, Bo French, posted controversial social media images and comments suggesting that foreign students have displaced Americans, based on a recent college football game celebration at the University of Texas. French shared a photo of the crowd and claimed that graduation scenes reflected a displacement issue, which manny critics, including fellow Republicans like Senator John Cornyn and representatives Dan Crenshaw, Jeff Leach, Jared Patterson, and others, condemned as racist and unacceptable. Critics argued French’s comments were racially charged attacks on students and others at UT, with some urging stronger condemnation from party leaders. Despite French’s applause for the football win, his claims about displacement and prioritization of foreigners stirred widespread backlash, highlighting ongoing debates over immigration, race, and political extremism within the party. The university’s enrollment data showed most students are Texas residents, and many prominent figures pushed back against the candidate’s accusations.
A Republican nominee for statewide office in Texas is taking fire from his own party after he used a crowd shot on social media to argue that foreign students have displaced Americans.
Bo French, the GOP candidate for railroad commissioner, posted images from Saturday’s University of Texas-Ohio State game and called the scene a “problem.”
No. 4 Texas had just pulled off an epic defeat of No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 Saturday night in Austin after trailing 23-3 entering the fourth quarter.
The Longhorns account posted a hype video that panned the student section. “THAT’LL DO IT,” the school wrote.
THAT’LL DO IT 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/srkIUJR7ZA
— Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) September 13, 2026
French d an image from the celebration.
“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined,” he wrote, USA Today reported.
In a follow-up, he said, “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.”
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
He later said he cheered the win, but that Texas families lose places at UT when the school “prioritize[s] foreigners over Texans.”
I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined. pic.twitter.com/Ys1bql0y4U
— Bo French (@bofrench) September 13, 2026
But what French presented as evidence of displacement, fellow Republicans slammed as a racial attack on UT’s students.
Sen. John Cornyn labeled the posts intolerant and racist and challenged other Republicans to condemn them or watch the party “self-destruct.”
This is the Republican nominee for statewide office. Are other Republican elected officials going to condemn the intolerance and racism, or look the other way while it becomes normalized. This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad. https://t.co/TO1dTXKd6G
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) September 13, 2026
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, and Texas Reps. Jeff Leach and Jared Patterson joined the criticism. Patterson called the language racist and said it demeaned young Texans, Politico reported.
This is racist. It is wrong. And I condemn it without reservation.
There is absolutely nothing Christian or conservative about looking at a crowd of young Texans at a college football game, seeing the color of their skin, and declaring that they are a “problem.” These are… https://t.co/H6jssyOMka
— Rep. Jared Patterson (@JaredLPatterson) September 13, 2026
This is gross. Touch grass.
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) September 13, 2026
Leach posted a photo of his son at the game with his pledge class and said French thought it was a “problem” that they did not all the same skin color.
This is my son Brady at the @TexasFootball game with his pledge class. Bo thinks it’s a “problem” they don’t all look like and have the same skin color as Brady. I think that’s racist — and it makes me sick. https://t.co/WsP8nbZMgy pic.twitter.com/nDkaB2N6zO
— Jeff Leach (@leachfortexas) September 13, 2026
Patterson previously wrote that there is “nothing Christian or conservative about looking at a crowd of young Texans at a college football game, seeing the color of their skin, and declaring that they are a ‘problem.’” He pointed out that the Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas, not federal immigration.
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico praised Cornyn and asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to condemn French.
Paxton used the exchange to attack Talarico rather than join the pile-on, the Washington Examiner reported.
The University of Texas at Austin has said Texas residents accounted for more than 80 percent of enrollment in 2025-26 and international students less than 10 percent, according to USA Today.
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