Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced he will not support Bo French, the Republican candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, following remarks made by French that were deemed racist. French's comments were in reference to a photo he posted of University of Texas football fans, which included mostly students of color, and he suggested that the issue was worse than previously thought.
When asked about his support for French, Cornyn responded, "No. He’s an embarrassment to the Republican Party, and he’s going to drag the whole ticket down because of his racist comments." Cornyn has not yet decided whether he will vote for French’s Democratic opponent, state Representative Jon Rosenthal, stating, "I may just leave it blank."
The Washington Examiner has reached out to French's campaign for a response. French has defended his initial post and has since raised funds off of it. He stated, "I cheered the win for the team. It was a great game. But I weep for the families in Texas who can’t get into UT because they prioritize foreigners over Texans. Shame on you for ignoring that fact."
Cornyn, who is retiring from Congress in January after losing the Senate GOP primary to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has expressed increasing concern about certain party members who he believes could harm Republican prospects in upcoming elections. Other Texas Republicans have also criticized French's comments.
Cornyn previously stated, "The tolerance of bigotry, antisemitism, and corruption destroys great political parties, and I think that’s the last thing the Republican Party needs in Texas during a time when we have political headwinds." Paxton condemned racism in general but did not specifically address French's remarks, instead focusing on comments made by his Democratic opponent, James Talarico.