Paxton and Talarico spar over racially charged post about Texas college students

Carter SchroppeSeptember 13, 2026

The article discusses a dispute between Texas Senate candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico that arose after multiple Republican lawmakers condemned a racially charged social media post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission. French posted a photo of Asian American students celebrating at the University of Texas at Austin’s football stadium, implying a negative connotation and suggesting that this scene was indicative of a broader problem, which drew swift criticism from figures like Senator John Cornyn and other state lawmakers. The incident highlights ongoing political tensions and issues related to race and social media conduct among candidates.

Texas Senate candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico sparred on Sunday afternoon after multiple Republican lawmakers in the state denounced a racially charged social media post made by a candidate for state office.

Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, was quickly denounced by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and multiple state lawmakers on Sunday after he posted a picture of seemingly Asian American students celebrating in the stands of the University of Texas at Austin’s football stadium during Saturday night’s victory against Ohio State. French said he had “heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” and that “the problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”