Rove Reports a Major Political Break
Former George W. Bush adviser and longtime Texas Republican strategist Karl Rove reportedly said at a members-only luncheon at Austin’s Headliners Club that he will vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal in the Texas Railroad Commission race. According to The Texas Tribune, three attendees said Rove called Republican candidate Bo French a “bigot.” Rove reportedly said this would be his first Democratic vote since 1994, when he supported former Texas Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock. Rosenthal is a Houston Democrat and career oil-field engineer running against French for one of the three seats on the commission, which regulates Texas’ oil and gas industry. The reported decision would mark a significant break from Rove’s long-standing Republican alignment.
View Matthew Watkins’ report on X.
French’s UT Austin Post Sparked the Fight
The reported comments came after French posted a photo of University of Texas fans celebrating the Longhorns’ dramatic win over Ohio State. The students shown were predominantly of South Asian descent. French wrote, “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” He later said social media was exposing “how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners” and claimed he wept for Texas families who could not get into UT because the school prioritized foreigners over Texans. French framed the controversy around H-1B visas, foreign-student preference, and whether Texas institutions are putting Americans first. A college football celebration thus became part of a broader political fight over race, immigration, and admissions.
Talarico and Paxton Trade Fire
The controversy quickly moved into broader Texas politics. Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico used French’s post to challenge Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, asking whether Paxton would condemn it or “cower to extremists.” Paxton responded by saying he condemned racism in all forms, then pointed to Talarico’s past statements that white men are America’s top terror threat and that he prays to overcome his own “whiteness.” Paxton wrote that only one person in the race had a history of dividing Texans by race, naming Talarico, and said he would focus on uniting the state and building a broad coalition for Texas, its values, and its families. The exchange ensured French’s post would become part of a much larger political argument.
French Doubles Down Instead of Apologizing
French has not apologized. On Monday, he doubled down, accused Republican critics of being “less conservative,” and began fundraising off the controversy. His campaign message described the criticism as an attack from the radical left and its allies while urging supporters to contribute. Rove’s reported decision would give Rosenthal the backing of a longtime Republican strategist who says he has voted for only one Democrat in the past three decades. The Railroad Commission race now carries an argument far beyond oil and gas regulation, with French defending his message and Rove reportedly backing his Democratic opponent.
.@carlosnogueras_ scoops: Karl Rove said at a private luncheon today that, after Bo French's post yesterday, he'd be voting for Democrat for the first time in more than 30 years.
He'll back @Jon_RosenthalTX over "bigot" @bofrench, he told crowd. https://t.co/gkcfIirpcF
— Matthew Watkins (@MWatkinsTrib) September 14, 2026
The post Karl Rove Reportedly Says He’ll Vote Democrat for First Time Since 1994 After Bo French Post appeared first on Steadfast and Loyal.
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