ODESSA, Texas (Texas Tribune) - Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Bo French stood by racist remarks he made Sunday on social media that included a photo of South Asian students celebrating a football game at the University of Texas at Austin, arguing the university promotes discriminatory enrollment practices that favor students of color.

Speaking Monday morning on the Mark Davis Show, a mainstay conservative radio broadcast, French dismissed the backlash he garnered over his post on X from Texas Republicans, including outgoing U.S. Sen. John Cornyn."The establishment raised and spent $7 million against me in the primary," French said.

"Many of the people who criticized me yesterday were some of the same people involved in that effort. It's no surprise that the less-conservative people in Texas are the ones attacking me."French drew swift condemnation from his party after sharing a post on X of the highly anticipated Texas Longhorns match against Ohio State.