The Aporia · Barabak: The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn't who you might think

Barabak: The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn't who you might think

Read the original at Los Angeles Times ↗

Cite

APA MLA Chicago

Barabak, M. Z. (2026, September 20). Barabak: The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn't who you might think. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2026-09-20/texas-bo-french-bigotry-greg-abbott-ken-paxton-midterm-election

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Columnist Michael Barabak discusses how Bo French, a Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, faces scrutiny over racist social media posts targeting Asian American students celebrating a University of Texas football victory. These posts reflect broader issues in Texas politics regarding party loyalty and voter turnout as major elections approach, with Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton facing competitive races. Political analyst Brandon Rottinghaus notes that while French’s inflammatory rhetoric would typically be disqualifying elsewhere, his candidacy remains viable due to Texas' strong Republican leanings.

Written by AI on 2026-09-20, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

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 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 9 other(s) covering the same event.

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans strongly left and hedges 8% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

Bo French Wants Texas to Be the New Rhodesia. His Opponent Just Wants to Keep the Heat On. Different event

Mother Jones

⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 9 of 81 claims Outlet record 60/100

“The articles discuss different candidates and events, with Article A focusing on Jon Rosenthal's campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission, while Article B discusses Bo French's racist posts.”

John Cornyn won’t vote for Texas GOP candidate Bo French over ‘racist comments’ Different event

Washington Examiner

Hedges 2 of 22 claims Outlet record 69/100

“The articles describe Bo French's racist comments but focus on different aspects and outcomes of the incident.”

Cornyn says he won't vote for Texas Republican Bo French after controversial post Different event

ABC News (US)

Hedges 3 of 30 claims Outlet record 70/100

“Article A discusses Cornyn's refusal to vote for Bo French due to controversial racist comments, while Article B describes a broader commentary on French's candidacy and its impact in Texas politics, mentioning specific events like a football game and political races.”

Why GOP Candidates Are Ignoring Trump Different event

The Dispatch

Hedges 2 of 34 claims Outlet record 61/100

“While both articles mention Bo French's racist tweet about a University of Texas football game, they describe different aspects and contexts related to this incident.”

Tiana Lowe Doescher: Texas Republican’s racist post ‘triggered Republicans’ Same event

Washington Examiner

Hedges 1 of 15 claims Outlet record 69/100

Despite Nativist Outcry, Texas Shows the Melting Pot Works Incredibly Well Different event

Reason

⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 2 of 29 claims Outlet record 67/100

“While both articles discuss Bo French's racist posts about Asian American students at a University of Texas football game, they focus on different aspects and are not reporting on the exact same specific incident or time.”

Karl Rove outlines his case against Bo French: ‘GOP’s stables need a cleaning’ Different event

Washington Examiner

Hedges 2 of 22 claims Outlet record 69/100

“While both articles discuss Bo French's racist posts regarding Asian American students celebrating a football victory at the University of Texas, Article A focuses on Karl Rove voting against French while Article B provides broader context about French being the 'worst, most vile candidate' in Texas and discusses its impact on party loyalty.”

Nativist nimrods like Texas’ Bo French reject the immigrants we all should welcome Different event

New York Post

⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 4 of 35 claims Outlet record 66/100

“While both articles discuss Bo French's racist posts about Asian American students celebrating a football victory, Article A focuses on his initial post and reaction to it, while Article B provides broader context and political commentary.”

How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

5 of 61 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

Leans strongly left

of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate

Publisher signals

95/100

Los Angeles Times's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Politics

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Analyzed 2026-09-20 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Los Angeles Times · 267 article(s) · 0 correction(s) detected

No corrections detected for this publisher. That may mean careful reporting, or simply that nothing has been checked.

Who wrote this

Mark Z. Barabak

11 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 For that reason, Corron cast his ballot for Ciscomani, fearful of what might happen if Democrats take control of Congress.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Barabak: This desert duel is a key test of Trump's effect on the midterm election

🔮 Lombardo hopes Nevada voters will judge him on his performance, not Trump’s.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Barabak: Is this purple state about to go blue? Nevada's GOP governor faces an anti-Trump backlash

🔮 And, for the first time since 2010, a Democrat may soon be sitting in the governor’s office in more than half the 50 states.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Barabak: Despite a blue tide, this Democratic governor is fighting to survive

🔮 Backlash to Trump, RFK Jr. may boost their political ranks -

2026-10-11 · assertive framing · Barabak: Is there a doctor in the House? Backlash to Trump, RFK Jr. may boost their political ranks

🔮 (Maybe) - Click here to listen to this article - - Two of the country’s top political prognosticators see Democrats likely seizing the House and quite possibly the Senate.

2026-10-04 · assertive framing · Barabak: What's going to happen in the midterm election? Find out here. (Maybe)

🔮 “With this administration what we have seen is it’s important that we not limit our imagination to what ... type of harm could happen,” Weiser said during a sunny noon hour in the Mile High City.

2026-09-27 · assertive framing · Barabak: War games and draft lawsuits: Democrats work to Trump-proof November election

🔮 The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn’t who you might think - Bo French, a GOP candidate for Texas’ powerful Railroad Commission, is under fire for racist posts targeting Asian American students celebrating a dramatic football win.

2026-09-20 · assertive framing · Barabak: The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn't who you might think

🔮 Within a few short months, he will be termed out of office and return to being a regular citizen, if not an average one.

2026-09-13 · assertive framing · Commentary: Gavin Newsom is a lame duck. Can his presidential hopes still take flight?

🔮 - Election deniers on the ballot in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin could make mischief in 2028.

2026-09-06 · assertive framing · Barabak: Integrity on the ballot: Election deniers target secretary of state races in key states

🔮 Today we discuss political forecasting, death and taxes.

2026-08-31 · assertive framing · Barabak: Don't look now, but suddenly the U.S. Senate is in play

Also by Mark Z. Barabak

Barabak: This desert duel is a key test of Trump's effect on the midterm election

2026-11-01 · Los Angeles Times

Barabak: Is this purple state about to go blue? Nevada's GOP governor faces an anti-Trump backlash

2026-10-25 · Los Angeles Times

Barabak: Despite a blue tide, this Democratic governor is fighting to survive

2026-10-18 · Los Angeles Times

Barabak: Is there a doctor in the House? Backlash to Trump, RFK Jr. may boost their political ranks

2026-10-11 · Los Angeles Times

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 11 articles by Mark Z. Barabak →

Topics

America GOP Railroad Commission Republican Texas

Subjects

French NORP · 7× Texas GPE · 7× Republican NORP · 6× Bo French PERSON · 4× GOP ORG · 2× Greg Abbott PERSON · 2× Ken Paxton PERSON · 2× Longhorn ORG · 2× Railroad Commission ORG · 2× Senate ORG · 2×

Narrative

- In parallel, conservative commentary sympathetic to French frames the UT student‑section image as evidence of unsettling demographic change, asserting that Americans angered by what they see as universities being “overrun” by foreign nationals and aggressive immigration policies “have every right to be upset” about perceived displacement.[1][3] - Some Republican strategists and commentators maintain that, while French’s language is inflammatory, focusing on his rhetoric risks ignoring broader concerns about border security, enforcement of immigration laws, and perceived excesses of diversity, equity and inclusion programs that continue to resonate with many Texas voters.[14][15][29] - Meanwhile, Abbott and allied Republicans present a more nuanced position, saying French’s message is not theirs and that the UT photo shows Texans united, yet simultaneously emphasizing support for having the “toughest immigration laws” and freezing H‑1B visas at state universities, suggesting strong immigration controls can be paired with calls for unity.[7][8][9] - Paxton and supporters, for their part, argue that demands to condemn French reflect a double standard, pointing instead to Talarico’s past comments about white men and white supremacy and claiming that critics overlook what they describe as anti‑white bias when evaluating racism in Texas politics.[9][11][13] - Finally, some Republicans highlight the swift condemnations from Cornyn, state House leaders and local legislators as proof that the party can police its own, arguing that French’s remarks are an aberration and that the broader GOP remains committed to rejecting racism even when it originates inside its ranks.[4][8][28]

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-20

2026-09-20 · Los Angeles Times

Barabak: The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn't who you might think · assertive framing

Claims (61 extracted, 5 hedged)

The worst, most vile candidate in Texas isn’t who you might think - Bo French, a GOP candidate for Texas’ powerful Railroad Commission, is under fire for racist posts targeting Asian American students celebrating a dramatic football win. uncertain

French → think → win

- With Gov. Greg Abbott and Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton facing competitive races, French’s racism becomes a test of party loyalty and turnout. asserted

racism → face → loyalty

In the second week of the college football season, in a clash of titans, the University of Texas scored 21 unanswered points to surge past Ohio State in the fourth quarter and win, 24-23. asserted

University → score → quarter

The comeback, Gov. Greg Abbott decreed, was the greatest home victory in more than 130 years of Longhorn football. asserted

Abbott → decree → football

A screen grab of one celebratory moment showed a group of students ecstatic beyond belief. asserted

group → show → belief

They were clad in the university’s signature burnt orange. asserted

They → clothe → orange

Two wore cowboy hats. asserted

Two → wear → hats

One flashed “Hook ‘em Horns,” the university’s proud hand signal. asserted

One → flash → Horns

To see the picture earlier this month was to witness pure, untempered joy. asserted

see → see → joy

But Bo French, the Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, saw something different. asserted

French → see → something

Most of the students were darkly complected and apparently of South Asian heritage asserted

Most → complect → heritage

French posted the photo and wrote on X, “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. asserted

graduation → post → this

I didn’t believe it. asserted

I → believe → it

The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” asserted

anyone → imagine → ?

He followed with a second post, doubling down on the racist “Great Replacement” theory. asserted

He → follow → theory

“Like body-cams exposed criminals, social media is exposing how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners,” French spewed. asserted

French → expose → foreigners

“It’s everywhere and far worse than any of us could imagine.” uncertain

any → ’ → us

A closely fought Senate race and competitive contest for governor have raised Democratic hopes, again. asserted

race → fight → hopes

A Texas win would scramble the presidential map in 2028 and beyond. asserted

win → scramble → 2028

But given Texas’ strong Republican leaning he stands a better-than-even chance of being elected in November to the state Railroad Commission, which, despite its name, oversees Texas’ vast oil and gas industry. asserted

which → give → industry

“In some ways in Texas this is old news,” said Brandon Rottinghaus, who teaches political science at the University of Houston. asserted

who → say → Houston

Last year, as chairman of the Tarrant County GOP, French posted an online poll asking, “Who is a bigger threat to America?” asserted

Who → post → America

Speaking in March at a political conference, he urged President Trump to round up and deport every Muslim in the country, calling the Islamic faith subversive and a clear and present danger to America. “The Republican Party is used to Bo French making these kinds of outrageous statements,” Rottinghaus said. asserted

Rottinghaus → speak → statements

In Texas, in particular, candidates have fastened on a growing Muslim population as they seek a new political scapegoat. asserted

they → fasten → scapegoat

The state’s top elected officials have led the charge. asserted

officials → elect → charge

Still, the response to French’s latest acrid emission was telling, not least for what it says about reflexive partisanship and today’s political reward structure. asserted

it → say → partisanship

As you’d expect, his Democratic opponent, state Rep. Jon Rosenthal, was scathing. asserted

opponent → expect → ?

“I spent 25 years as an oil and gas engineer,” he wrote on social media. asserted

he → spend → media

“Bo French spent Sunday morning sorting our student section by skin color ... asserted

French → spend → color

A man who can’t tell a Longhorn from a foreigner has no business regulating anything in TX.” asserted

who → tell → TX

The state’s outgoing U.S. senator, Republican John Cornyn, was also quick to denounce French. asserted

senator → denounce → French

“This is the Republican nominee for statewide office,” Cornyn said in a post. asserted

Cornyn → say → post

“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

For Abbott and for Ken Paxton, who beat Cornyn in an eye-gouging, rabbit-punching Republican Senate primary, the answer was, for all intents, the latter. “That is not my message,” Abbott said in a written statement, summoning the moral clarity and political courage of a puff pastry. asserted

Abbott → beat → pastry

“We all support our college football teams. asserted

We → support → teams

The way we win the state is the same way we win football games. asserted

we → win → games

We unite under the brand of Texas.” asserted

We → unite → Texas

Then, just to have it both ways, Abbott suggested “that doesn’t mean that Texas cannot also lead in having the toughest immigration laws of any state in America and freezing H1B visas at our universities.” uncertain

Texas → have → universities

(The overwhelming majority of those holding H1B visas are Asian nationals from India and China.) asserted

majority → hold → India

Paxton responded by attacking his Democratic opponent, state Rep. James Talarico, for saluting Cornyn for taking a stand against French’s prejudice. asserted

Paxton → respond → prejudice

…and 21 more, not listed.