Texas GOP candidate stands by xenophobic comments following backlash

Bo French, the Republican candidate running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, refused to back down from his xenophobic comments following the backlash he received over the weekend. French, who posted a photo of University of Texas students celebrating at graduation and criticized their demographics, received over 35 million views on his post on X. Instead of retracting his claim, French doubled down on his stance, labeling the criticism as an attack from the "radical left and their allies."

During an appearance on conservative radio show The Mark Davis Show, French continued to defend his post, stating that his concerns were not about race but about the admissions and hiring policies at the University of Texas, which he claimed discriminated against Texans. He argued that it was not racist to prioritize Texans over foreigners.

French also took a jab at fellow Republican John Cornyn, accusing him of being part of the establishment wing of the party that opposed him in the primary election. By prioritizing the America First platform, French maintained, the Republican party should focus on supporting Americans. French, who has a history of making controversial statements, has advocated for deporting 100 million people before.