On October 6, 2026, Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Bo French tweeted that the number of Indian students at UT is a nightmare, responding to a Longhorn video of South Asian fans. Greg Abbott defended the students while touting H-1B crackdowns, and Karl Rove said he would vote Democrat over the tweet. The discussion has since widened to the online right's long-running attacks on J.D. Vance for marrying the daughter of Indian immigrants, led by Nick Fuentes. What remains open is whether the state party treats the tweet as a liability or a base signal.