Twice since last night, Trump listed favored Republicans in social media posts and urged Texans to support the GOP up and down the ballot as early voting is underway.
In both posts, however, the president left out French, the party’s nominee to serve on the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas industry.
Trump also did not include Nate Sheets, the GOP nominee for agriculture commissioner. Sheets faces Democrat Clayton Tucker.
French’s absence from the posts is significant, showing the leader of the Republican Party isn’t trying to use his platform to help French in his race against Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal of Houston.
Rosenthal took a jab at French on Thursday morning after his absence from Trump’s list.
“Even @realDonaldTrump knows Bo is unfit to lead,” he said.
The snub comes almost a month after French drew widespread criticism for a social media post he made disparaging the racial makeup of the University of Texas student section at a football game.
The post resulted in a firestorm for his campaign. Multiple Republicans have since announced they would not vote for him. Rosenthal also outraised French in the most recent filing period, buoyed by a flood of donations in the days after French’s post.
French did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment Thursday. Spokespeople for the Republican National Committee did not respond to an email.
Trump first posted on his own social media network, Truth Social, Wednesday at 9:28 p.m., listing 36 Republican candidates, including six of the eight statewide races in Texas.
Thursday morning, Trump posted the same message on his X account, again leaving out French and Sheets.
French became the nominee after defeating incumbent Jim Wright in the Republican runoff for the railroad commission seat, despite Wright having the support of GOP leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
A Democrat has not won a race for railroad commissioner since 1990. Early voting runs through Friday, Oct. 30.