Overview
- Bo French, the Republican nominee for the Texas Railroad Commission, posted a social message about University of Texas students that many outlets and Texas Republicans called racist and he has twice refused to back down.
- According to The Texas Tribune and multiple outlets, Rove told attendees at a private Headliners Club lunch that he will vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal because he considers French a “bigot,” a claim the Tribune said it confirmed with three anonymous attendees.
- Rove reportedly added that his last Democratic vote was in 1994, underscoring how unusual a break this would be for the longtime GOP strategist and former Bush adviser.
- President Trump responded on Truth Social with a blistering public attack on Rove, calling him a “stone cold loser,” which amplified the intra-party feud across national media.
- The dispute matters beyond personalities because the Railroad Commission controls oil and gas rules in Texas, the report rests on anonymous sourcing at a private event, and the episode highlights a larger, ongoing clash between establishment Republicans and Trump-aligned forces that could shape turnout and party unity ahead of the election.