USA17 September, 20262 min read
Karl Rove Says He Will Vote Democrat Jon Rosenthal Over Bo French In Texas Race
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Karl Rove will vote Democrat in Texas Railroad Commission race against Bo French. He called GOP candidates 'bigoted' and said he will have no part of it.
Rove backs Rosenthal
Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove said he will vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal in the Texas Railroad Commission race rather than Republican nominee Bo French, writing in a Wall Street Journal editorial that he will have “no part of it.”
“‘I’ll have no part of it. This November, I’ll vote for only the second Democrat in my life.”
Rove said his decision would be “only the second Democrat in my life,” adding that the first was Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock in 1994 because he thought Bullock would work with Republicans.
The controversy, as described by The Hill, centered on French’s post about University of Texas at Austin students of South Asian descent and a caption suggesting “Bollywood University.”
The Hill reported that French later posted another image with the caption “The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.”
Trump reacts, GOP condemns
HuffPost reported that President Donald Trump “lost it earlier this week” after hearing rumblings about Rove’s decision, calling Rove a “stone cold loser” with “Trump Derangement Syndrome” for not backing French. In the same account, HuffPost said Rove described French as a “bigoted” candidate and pointed to French’s comments about non-white fans after a University of Texas football victory.
The Hill reported that Texas Republicans condemned French over his post about South Asian students, and it said The Hill reached out to French’s campaign for comment. Newsweek framed the episode as part of a broader pattern of Republicans endorsing or voting for Democrats in red states, listing Texas as a key example with Rove backing Rosenthal.
What’s at stake in Texas
Rove’s choice is tied to the Texas Railroad Commission race, which Newsweek described as overseeing Texas’ powerful oil and gas industry despite its relatively low profile.
Newsweek reported that Rove’s decision would be the first time in more than three decades that he has voted for a Democrat statewide, and it said the race is significant because of the commission’s influence.
In the same reporting, Newsweek said Texas Republican Senator Jon Cornyn shared a link to Rove’s column on X alongside the quote “The GOP’s stables need a cleaning. This is a good place to start.”
Newsweek also said Newsweek reached out to French via email for comment on Wednesday, while the HuffPost account said Rove wrote that French’s behavior reflects “part of a long and ugly pattern.”