Rove Backs Democrat in Texas Race, Drawing Trump Rebuke

Former Republican strategist Karl Rove announced he will vote for a Democrat in a Texas regulatory race, breaking with his party over what he called the "bigotry" of the GOP nominee. The move prompted a sharp rebuke from former President Donald Trump, who called Rove a "stone cold loser." Rove, a longtime adviser to former President George W. Bush, made the declaration during a private lunch at the Headliners Club in Austin on Monday, September 15, 2026. According to three anonymous attendees who spoke to the Texas Tribune, Rove said he would support Democrat Jon Rosenthal over Republican Bo French in the race for a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission. Rove reportedly called French a "bigot" and said it was only the second time in over 30 years he would vote for a Democrat, the first being for former Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock in 1994. The endorsement followed controversy over social media posts by French, the Republican nominee. On Sunday, September 13, French shared a photo of predominantly South Asian students at a University of Texas football game, writing that "foreigners" were displacing Americans and that the university prioritized them over Texans.