Texas candidate's racist post shows what's wrong with politics

Key Points:

• The University of Texas football team’s dramatic comeback win over Ohio State sparked a celebratory photo of diverse students, which Republican candidate Bo French used to promote racist “Great Replacement” conspiracy theories on social media.
• Bo French, known for previous bigoted remarks including anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish statements, is the Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commission, a powerful regulatory body overseeing the state's oil and gas industry.
• French’s racist posts drew condemnation from Democrats, Republican Senator John Cornyn, and some GOP members, but Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton offered tepid or indirect responses, reflecting political caution ahead of tough November elections.
• Abbott, seeking a fourth term, and Paxton, facing a competitive race, rely on strong GOP turnout and are hesitant to alienate the party’s anti-immigrant base despite French’s controversial rhetoric.
• The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within Texas politics between mainstream Republicans and more extreme, xenophobic elements, with French’s candidacy symbolizing the challenges the party faces in balancing electoral strategy and moral accountability.