MAGA rages at Catholic bishop who condemned Republican's racist post

Bo French, candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, in Grapevine, Texas, U.S. March 27, 2026. REUTERS/Callaghan O'Hare

A racist social post by Bo French, GOP nominee for Texas railroad commissioner, set off an intense debate among Republicans — with veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove saying he would vote for the Democratic nominee and President Donald Trump attacking Rove as a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only). And according to Democratic insider Christopher Hale, a Catholic bishop is now the target of MAGA rage for calling French out.

After Texas won a college football game, French posted a photo of University of Texas, Austin fans celebrating the victory — and French was offended that they were Indian-America. French, in a September 13 post on X, wrote, "I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is obviously now far worse than anyone imagined."

Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth vehemently condemned French's post, tweeting, "This is racist and sinful rhetoric that seeks to harm and to divide. It is disturbing that it comes from a candidate for public office. An apology is called for."

Olson's post drew a scathing response from MAGA Republicans and French defenders.

MAGA conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec is among French's defenders, telling Olson, "Every nation in the world is allowed to determine appropriate levels of immigration, Bishop Christ never commanded that all nations of the world accept endless amounts of foreign immigration. In fact, elected officials are allowed to publicly discuss these issues in a republic."

Hale notes, "Under Olson's post, the replies called him an apostate who should 'go join Prevost in Rome and pray to Pachamama,' a shepherd who cares 'more for the wolves than for his own sheep.' One account informed him that 'Racism is not sin.' That last line is the whole fight, and Olson knows it. He gave an interview to Kevin Clarke of America magazine, published Friday, and repeated the charge. French's refusal to apologize, and his decision to raise money off the uproar, left the bishop 'astounded and disturbed.' The photo, he said, was 'a point of political exploitation,' and its logic was plain: 'there's no knowing if those young people are citizens or not. All that is known is that they are of a different complexion.'"

Hale adds, "These were, in his reading, 'not even dog whistle words.' The students in it 'were being disqualified from participation in American society — even in something like a football game, as important as that is in Texas — by the color of their skin.'"

Hale points out that some Texas Republicans aren't defending French's racist post but are still supporting his campaign.

"A Catholic bishop in Fort Worth said more in three sentences than the governor of Texas has managed in a week," Hale argues. "He was called an apostate for it, and he answered by giving an interview in which he repeated himself, slowly, for the record.

That is what a shepherd looks like when the wolves are inside the fence. The Republican Party of Texas may yet find its voice before November. The Church in Texas did not wait."

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