In the days leading up to the GOP primary runoffs in May, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a stern warning about Bo French, a Republican running for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission that regulates the state鈥檚 oil and gas industry.
鈥淗is agenda would wreck the miracle that we have in producing more oil and gas than ever before,鈥� Abbott where he stumped for French鈥檚 primary opponent, Jim Wright.
Abbott wasn鈥檛 the only Texas Republican fighting to keep French out of office. GOP leadership up and down the ranks opposed him.
At the time, however, none of those Republicans attempting to topple French made mention of his long and well-documented history of routinely racist, , , and comments on social media, including when he that an approaching end to SNAP services would be 鈥淣ational Chimp Out Day.鈥�
Ultimately, French , and Abbott and the Republican Party .
Now with fewer than 50 days to go until November鈥檚 midterm elections, French is ducking a battery of criticism directed squarely at him 鈥� even from 鈥� after he of mostly South Asian University of Texas at Austin students celebrating an epic football victory last weekend with a caption that said the scene shows 鈥渉ow many Americans have been displaced by foreigners.鈥�
Even as a long line of Republicans condemn French 鈥� calling his comments 鈥� none have rescinded their endorsements. Meanwhile, some party leaders 鈥� like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick 鈥� have remained silent. Others have offered that don鈥檛 address French or his words.
French did not respond to a request for comment or interview.
Among French鈥檚 loudest critics this week was Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, who told French to on Sunday. Leach of his son, another UT student, at the game with a caption saying, 鈥淏o thinks it鈥檚 a 鈥榩roblem鈥� they don鈥檛 all look like and have the same skin color as [him]. I think that鈥檚 racist 鈥� and it makes me sick.鈥�
But Leach he still plans to vote for French.
鈥淚鈥檓 voting for every Republican up and down the ballot,鈥� . 鈥淟ook, in that race I might have to hold my nose to do so. But voting for the Democrat in this race? I know him, and he鈥檚 a radical.鈥�
On Sunday, House Speaker Dustin Burrows on French to delete his post for 鈥渄emeaning people because of their race or ethnicity鈥� and adding that 鈥渢his post has crossed the line.鈥�
Asked if the speaker plans to endorse French or campaign with him, Burrows said in a statement that his 鈥減osition has never changed. I support the entire Republican ticket. Period. Full stop.鈥�
Only two Republicans so far have said they are moved enough to withhold votes for French. First, Karl Rove, privately said at an Austin luncheon that he plans to vote for French鈥檚 Democratic opponent 鈥� the first time he will not vote for a Republican in three decades, .
鈥淭he GOP has a growing number of Bo Frenches 鈥� and not only in Texas,鈥� he later wrote in a confirming the report. 鈥淭hese people are diminishing the Republican Party, not building it. I鈥檒l have no part of it.鈥�
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. , who was the first Republican to publicly criticize French over his tweet, confirmed he would not vote for French, though he did not commit to voting for Democrat state Rep. Jon Rosenthal, a Houston Democrat who is also an oil and gas engineer.
"He's an embarrassment to the Republican Party, and he's going to drag the whole ticket down because of his racist comments,鈥� . "I may just leave it blank."
Democrats, in Texas since 1994, point out that Republicans had ample opportunity to draw a line with French. The silence is a choice, they argue.
鈥淚 am not being facetious: Bo French is an opinion leader within the base of the Republican Party and it is why the top nominees are afraid to so openly break with him,鈥� Democratic strategist Matt Angle said. 鈥淭hey believe they need Bo French in order to keep their base riled up.鈥�
Indeed, French鈥檚 reputation is well defined.
By the time he announced his Railroad Commission bid in November, he had whether Democrats were 鈥渞etarted,鈥� or 鈥済ay鈥�; followers about whether Muslims or Jews posed 鈥渁 bigger threat to America?鈥�; to 鈥渄enaturalize and deport鈥� a Democratic state lawmaker who was born in Pakistan and is a naturalized U.S. citizen; and a 鈥渄eep dive鈥� into Texas Democratic House leader Rep. Gene Wu鈥檚 family, writing in a social media post 鈥渢he (Chinese Communist Party) connection is strong I bet.鈥� He also called for Wu鈥檚 deportation.
He has been deleting old posts, according to his social media.
Once a candidate in a competitive primary, French did not stop 鈥� even as Wright, the incumbent, racked up the backing from key industry leaders and other elected officials. Three weeks after forcing a runoff, French to openly embrace 鈥淚slamaphobia鈥� and called for the deportation of 100 million people. By , there are some 14 million undocumented people in the country.
After winning the primary, this summer, , 鈥渋t's time to go round up all the Chinese and send them packing!鈥� and that he 鈥�.鈥�
During the primary season, Abbott was the most critical of French among Wright鈥檚 allies. The governor when French was declared the victor on election night. 鈥淩epublicans are UNITED and ready to win in November to keep Texas, TEXAS!鈥� congratulating the same man he had roasted on the campaign trail.
Abbott then endorsed French. When asked about French鈥檚 UT post Sunday, 鈥渢hat is not my message鈥� and that the photograph actually depicted how Texans unite. 鈥淭hat doesn鈥檛 mean that Texas cannot also lead in having the toughest immigration laws of any state in America and freezing H1B visas at our universities,鈥� he added.
Two of the students in the image that they are U.S. citizens.
Abbott鈥檚 campaign did not respond to a list of questions that included whether he plans to campaign with French or whether he took issue with any of French鈥檚 previous slurs, or his promotion of and denaturalizing people with . Or why the state鈥檚 commander-in-chief included the section about immigration and visas in his statement.
Patrick, who last year French for an antisemitic post and called on him to resign as Tarrant County GOP chair, has yet to weigh in on French鈥檚 comment. His campaign did not respond to a list of questions.
Rosenthal, who is Jewish and has been the recipient of some of French鈥檚 antisemitic attacks, is hopeful the French baggage 鈥� paired with the of Ken Paxton, a French ally who is the Republican Senate nominee 鈥� will hurt all GOP candidates.
鈥淚t's hard to separate yourself from the top of your ticket,鈥� Rosenthal said. 鈥淚t's something all of them have to bear because that's your party.鈥�
No less, an abundance of supporters have emerged to defend French 鈥� even as party leaders tow a fine line.
One of them is Brandon Hall, who sits on the state board of education, the governing board charged with establishing curricula, standards and policies for nearly 5.5 million school children.
鈥淚 stand with Bo,鈥� Hall . 鈥淚t has nothing to do with skin color. It鈥檚 about preserving our Texas way of life.鈥�
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