French posted a photo of a Texas football game featuring a multiracial crowd and condemned the diversity, labeling it a problem for the state. He did not delete the image or issue an apology, choosing instead to defend his stance in a short video on the platform.
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn condemned the fundraising that followed the post, calling it a betrayal of the party’s values. French retorted that the critics were part of a $7 million campaign against him, implying that the backlash was politically motivated.
The antisemitic slur evolved into anti-Hindu rhetoric online, with the Coalition of Hindus in North America denouncing the hate and urging political leaders to speak up. The Hindu American Foundation urged elected officials to reaffirm religious freedom, stressing that Hindus are also Americans.
French now counts his X followers and thanks donors, pushing a donation link that promises to fund his bid to regulate Texas’s oil and gas industry. He won the May 26 runoff against incumbent Jim Wright 50.6% to 49.4%, securing the Republican nomination for the November 3, 2026 election.
The Texas Railroad Commission wields significant power over drilling permits, pipeline approvals and environmental oversight. French’s campaign promises a shift toward a pro‑energy, small‑business agenda, a stance that has already drawn both support and condemnation across the state.