An unexpected opponent

Jon Rosenthal expected a policy-focused race for Texas Railroad Commission. Instead, he's facing Bo French, who calls for deporting 100 million people and emulating apartheid.

The race is surprisingly close

French's lead over Rosenthal is just outside the margin of error. More than 600,000 Republicans already voted against French twice this year in the primary.

Top Republicans still endorse him

Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed French. Attorney General Ken Paxton campaigned with him. Even the incumbent French defeated offered congratulations.

Rosenthal's industry credentials

The 63-year-old mechanical engineer spent 25 years in oil and gas, making service calls to Gulf platforms and West Texas rigs before entering politics.

“I present myself as serious-minded and keen on the issues and working with industry to protect our communities and strengthen our infrastructure and our economy.”

French's violent business past

French once ran a military training company with Chris Kyle. Kyle's widow claimed he stole the firm, though they eventually settled the dispute.

The infamous poll question

As Tarrant County GOP chair, French polled his followers: "Who is a bigger threat to America?" The two choices were "Muslims" and "Jews."

Calls for mass deportation

French said Trump should "round up every Muslim in America, denaturalize them, and deport them." He's also targeted Chinese Americans and some Native Americans.

“Time to go round up all the Chinese and send them packing!”

The Rhodesia comparison

French wrote that America should "be Rhodesia," referencing the apartheid state. When told this, Rosenthal was stunned: "He's talking about white minority rule, that's just wild."

“We need to what? 'Be Rhodesia?' I don't even, that's…I…I haven't heard that.”

Attacking the oil industry

French called his Republican opponent "Jihadi Jim" and claimed Saudi ties allowed "Islamic values and laws" to infiltrate the commission regulating Texas oil.

Antisemitic attacks on Rosenthal

French's campaign accused Rosenthal, who is Jewish, of "mocking Christianity" and compared him to Bolsheviks who killed Russia's Romanov family, a classic antisemitic trope.

The uphill Democratic battle

No Democrat running for railroad commissioner has cracked 45 percent since Bill Clinton's first term. Rosenthal needs voters to break decades-long patterns.

Major donors opposed French

While West Texas billionaires backed French's primary campaign, major Republican donors from Miriam Adelson to ExxonMobil opposed him.

The football game tweet

French shared a photo of South Asian UT students celebrating a football win, writing the problem is "far worse than anyone imagined." Even John Cornyn and Karl Rove condemned it.

“I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”

French spoke at CPAC

French's comments about deporting 100 million people came at CPAC, a premier conservative conference. Paxton stumped with him weeks later at his runoff launch party.

Texas Republicans embrace Islamophobia

Paxton tried banning a Muslim civil rights group. Abbott designated it terrorist and blocked a Muslim housing development. The state GOP chair told Muslim delegates to leave the party.

Abbott's contradictory warnings

Before the runoff, Abbott said French "doesn't know anything about oil and gas" and would "wreck the miracle." But he also said a Rosenthal win "would destroy the world."

“Republicans might not want to be Rhodesians. They live in mortal fear of becoming Democrats.”