Attorney General of Texas and the Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 2026.
Case
Bo French used an image of apparent South Asian UT fans to argue that foreigners were displacing Americans. Critics called the posts racist or xenophobic; French and supporters said they raised a legitimate immigration and admissions dispute.
Role at the time: Attorney General of Texas and Republican Senate nominee posting on his own account
Statement summary
Asked directly to condemn French's post, Paxton said he condemns racism in all its forms and then accused Talarico of dividing Texans by race, without addressing French's post.
“I condemn racism in all its forms, including James Talarico saying white men are America's top terror threat and that he prays to overcome his own 'whiteness,' whatever that means. Only one person in this race has a history of dividing Texans by race, and it’s James Talarico. I will continue to focus on uniting our State and bringing together the broadest possible coalition to fight for Texas, our values, and our families.”
The conduct under scrutiny is French's UT fan post. Paxton was challenged directly about it and neither condemned nor defended it, offering a general condemnation of racism while redirecting to his opponent. That is why this is mixed rather than a condemnation. Editorial review is invited on whether explicitly_declines fits better.
Statement dates: September 13, 2026
Statement dates: September 13, 2026
Statement dates: September 13, 2026
