# Cornyn breaks ranks over French's post

> A Texas Republican nominee mocked South Asian students at a UT game, and John Cornyn told his own party to say something.
- Title: Cornyn breaks ranks over French's post · The Texas Tribune
- Summary: A Texas Republican nominee mocked South Asian students at a UT game, and John Cornyn told his own party to say something. The story is less about one post…
- Keywords: texas politics, racism, john cornyn, republican party, 2026 elections, news, local, Cornyn, breaks, ranks, French's, post
- Source: The Texas Tribune — https://feeds.texastribune.org/link/16799/17460787/bo-french-john-cornyn-republican-texas-railroad-commissioner-ut
- Author: Alex Nguyen
- Published: 2026-09-13T16:36:08+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: texas politics, racism, john cornyn, republican party, 2026 elections, news, local
## A photo from the stands
The morning after Texas upset Ohio State, Bo French posted a picture of South Asian students cheering in orange and said it showed how many Americans had been displaced by foreigners.

> I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it.
## Who Bo French is
He is the GOP nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner and the former Tarrant County GOP chair. He has called for deporting 100 million people, a number that would sweep in U.S. citizens.
## Cornyn names it racism
The senator, who lost his primary in May, called the post intolerant and racist and pressed other Republican officials to say so publicly rather than let it pass.

> This is how great political parties self-destruct. Sad.
## A few Republicans follow
House Speaker Dustin Burrows and state Reps. Jeff Leach and Lacey Hull asked French to delete the post. French's Democratic opponent, Jon Rosenthal, thanked Cornyn for speaking up.

> You can oppose immigration policy without demeaning people because of their race or ethnicity.
## Not the first time
Last year French ran a social media poll asking whether Jews or Muslims were a bigger threat to America. Dan Patrick and others told him to quit as county chair.
## He doubles down
French called Cornyn a Republican in name only who cheers for foreign nationals over Americans. Patrick, who backed French's primary rival, reportedly softened after French won the runoff.

> He and the other America Last losers are mad that Texas Republicans are starting to put America First.
## Key takeaway

The story is less about one post than about which Republicans will condemn it and which will stay quiet.