French says his UT fan posts were about culture, not race
Bo FrenchRepublican nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner
French denied that his posts about UT fans were racist and said his concern was culture rather than people’s origin or skin color.
“It’s fair to say that Texas doesn’t look and feel like it did when I was a kid, and that’s not racist.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was Bo French’s UT Austin post racist?
After the University of Texas football team’s September 12, 2026 comeback win over Ohio State, Republican Railroad Commission nominee Bo French posted a still image of apparent South Asian fans and called what it showed a “problem.” He later said social media was exposing Americans being displaced by foreigners and accused UT of prioritizing foreigners over Texans. French and several supporters framed the posts as a legitimate criticism of immigration and admissions policy. Republican and Democratic officials, along with other commentators, condemned the use of the fans’ appearance as racist or xenophobic. Governor Greg Abbott rejected French’s interpretation of the image while reaffirming support for restrictive immigration policies.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The Dallas Morning News reports that French said at a Grapevine conference that his posts were about culture rather than origin or skin color, while responding to criticism.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
At a conference in Grapevine, Texas, French addressed the backlash to his September posts about UT fans.
After the quotation
He said he was surprised by the reaction and described demographic change as a cultural issue.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
French explicitly disputes the characterization of his posts as racist and frames them as a cultural concern. The classification records his stated response to the case question, not an editorial determination of whether the posts were racist.
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- People and groups discussed
- The University of Texas at Austin
More from this case
Read the full caseRosenthal calls donations a rejection of French
“The people are rejecting this bold, racist campaign of his.”Read statement
Krishnamoorthi calls French’s UT fan post a xenophobic attack
“The Department of Education seems to be playing dog whistles to Bo French’s tune just days after his xenophobic attack on South Asian students for cheering for their own college football team. South Asian Americans are as American as anyone.”Read statement
Cornyn says he will not vote for French, calling him "an embarrassment to the Republican Party"
“He's an embarrassment to the Republican Party, and he's going to drag the whole ticket down because of his racist comments.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "French says his UT fan posts were about culture, not race". First published: 2026-09-20. Last updated: 2026-09-20. https://disputeindex.com/events/1271-french-denied-that-his-posts-about-ut-fans