Rove Backs Democrat; Trump Calls Him Loser
Rove Backs Democrat; Trump Calls Him Loser
The News
Karl Rove, the former adviser to President George W. Bush and a longtime Texas GOP consultant, says he will vote for Houston Democrat Jon Rosenthal over Republican nominee Bo French in the race for the Texas Railroad Commission.
Rove made the remarks at a members-only Headliners Club lunch in Austin, calling French a "bigot," according to attendees who described the comments to The Texas Tribune. Three attendees confirmed the remarks, speaking anonymously.
The break follows a post by French on Sunday showing the University of Texas at Austin student section, in which he described diverse students as "foreigners" displacing Americans.
President Donald Trump responded Monday by attacking Rove on Truth Social, writing that "the guy is a stone cold loser!"
Why It Matters
The Railroad Commission regulates oil and gas production in Texas. French has built his campaign around immigration and LGBTQ issues, which the agency has no authority over.
Timeline
The last time Rove voted for a Democrat, according to accounts of his remarks: Texas Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
French posts a photo of UT Austin's student section and calls the diverse crowd "foreigners" displacing Americans.
At a members-only lunch in Austin, Rove tells the room French is a "bigot" and says he will vote for Rosenthal.
Trump posts on Truth Social that "Karl Rove is so bad for the Republican Party, and completely wrong so often," and asks, "Why does FoxNews and the WSJ keep his RINO Voice alive. The guy is a stone cold loser!"
French doubles down, calling the Republicans criticizing him "less conservative."
Reactions
Trump's Truth Social post was the sharpest response, questioning why Fox News and The Wall Street Journal still give Rove a platform.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) warned that French's comments risk normalizing intolerance, saying, "This is how great political parties self-destruct."
French rejected the criticism, casting the Republicans attacking him as insufficiently conservative.
Rove has not walked back the remarks reported by attendees at the Austin lunch.
What's Next
French remains the Republican nominee for the Railroad Commission despite earlier calls for his resignation from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
The open question is whether Rove's defection pulls other Texas Republicans or donors away from French, and whether the state party takes any formal action before the ballot is set.
More
French has previously called for deporting 100 million people — a figure larger than the number of illegal immigrants in the country, and one that would sweep in American citizens.
Rosenthal, the Democrat Rove says he will back, is a Houston state representative running for the three-member commission.
Poll
Was Karl Rove right to back a Democrat over his party's nominee?
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