Texas Railroad – Republican Bo French raised over $150,000 following a controversial social media post, but his Democratic opponent Jon E. Rosenthal surged ahead with more than $350,000 in the same window.
The notification appeared on Bo French’s campaign dashboard on September 13. the same day he posted a message on X criticizing the number of South Asian college students at a football game in Austin. By the end of that day, his campaign had logged more than $25,000 in donations. As the post ignited national headlines and drew bipartisan condemnation the following morning, the campaign coffers grew by another $31,000.
French. who is vying for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission to regulate the state’s massive oil and energy industry. has now brought in more than $150. 000 since the controversy erupted. State campaign finance records released Tuesday confirm the influx, underscoring a campaign galvanized by a digital firestorm.
Yet, the surge in funding hasn’t translated into a financial lead. During that same stretch, his Democratic opponent, Jon E. Rosenthal, outpaced him by raising more than $350,000. Rosenthal’s total includes significant backing from high-profile figures and groups: $2,500 from Rep. Lizzie Fletcher’s congressional campaign. $25. 000 from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker—who is viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender—and $50. 000 from the Lone Star Project Nonfederal PAC.
The math of the race reveals a stark divergence in donor motivation. While Rosenthal is pulling from institutional Democratic channels, French is finding support among those who view the backlash against him as a litmus test for party loyalty.
Andrew Beck, a partner at a brand consultancy firm who donated to the French campaign, dismissed the outrage surrounding the X post as a performative overreaction. He described the viral condemnation as feeling “unnatural” and localized to the Democratic strongholds of Austin and Travis County.
“It just felt like a very disproportionate reaction to a throwaway tweet,” Beck said. “It felt like it was coming from a lot of people in Austin.”
For donors like Beck, the priority remains ideological control of the commission. He expressed frustration with “establishment Republicans” who distanced themselves from the candidate over his choice of words, arguing that the focus should remain on policy rather than verbiage.
“We ultimately want a Republican to be in that seat, want a good Texan to be in there,” Beck said, adding that even if the post could have been worded better, it wasn’t a valid reason to “throw the race to a Democrat.”
French’s campaign did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the latest finance figures or the ongoing controversy.
Bo French Jon E. Rosenthal Texas Railroad Commission campaign finance Texas politics 2024 elections