Karl Rove to Vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal After Comments from Republican Bo French

Karl Rove, a former adviser to President George W. Bush and a Texas GOP political consultant, announced he will vote for Jon Rosenthal, a Democrat running for the Texas Railroad Commission. This decision follows Republican Bo French's posting of comments deemed racist regarding South Asian students at the University of Texas at Austin. Rove made his remarks during a lunch event at the Headliners Club in Austin, where he referred to French as a 'bigot,' according to three attendees who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Rove stated he has only voted for one Democratic candidate in the past, Texas Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, during the 1994 reelection. Neither Rove nor French could be reached for immediate comment. On the same day, former President Donald Trump criticized Rove on Truth Social, stating Rove was 'bad' for Republicans and often incorrect. French faced backlash for sharing a post on X that referred to cheering students as 'foreigners' who displaced Americans, without verifying their status. He later reiterated his comments, claiming that Republicans who criticized him were 'less conservative.' Rove, who teaches at the university, praised one of his South Asian students as hardworking. He also commended Texas Republicans for denouncing French's remarks. French's campaign has focused on culture wars, making controversial statements about the LGBTQ+ community and immigration, which are outside the Railroad Commission's regulatory scope. After winning the March primary against Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, French criticized Rosenthal for wearing a mask advocating for trans youth. Last year, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for French's resignation after he conducted a poll on social media about perceived threats to America, but later endorsed French's opponent in the Republican primary. The University of Texas at Austin has financially supported The Texas Tribune, which operates as a nonprofit news organization.