A racist social media post by Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas railroad commissioner — the statewide office that, despite its name, regulates the state's oil and gas industry — has ignited an intense debate among Republicans, one in which veteran GOP strategist Karl Rove said he would vote for the Democratic nominee, prompting President Donald Trump to attack Rove as a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only). According to Democratic insider Christopher Hale, a Catholic bishop who called French out is now the target of MAGA rage.

After the University of Texas won a college football game, French shared a photo of fans at the University of Texas, Austin celebrating the victory — and took offense that they were Indian-American. In a September 13 post on X, French wrote, "I heard UT graduation this year looked like this. I didn't believe it. The problem is obviously now far worse than anyone imagined."

Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth vehemently condemned French's post on X, writing, "This is racist and sinful rhetoric that seeks to harm and to divide. It is disturbing that it comes from a candidate for public office. An apology is called for."

The bishop's message drew a scathing response from MAGA Republicans and defenders of French.

MAGA conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec was among those rushing to French's defense, telling Olson, "Every nation in the world is allowed to determine appropriate levels of immigration, Bishop Christ never commanded that all nations of the world accept endless amounts of foreign immigration. In fact, elected officials are allowed to publicly discuss these issues in a republic."

Hale documented the backlash: "Under Olson's post, the replies called him an apostate who should 'go join Prevost in Rome and pray to Pachamama,' a shepherd who cares 'more for the wolves than for his own sheep.' One account informed him that 'Racism is not sin.'"

"That last line is the whole fight, and Olson knows it," Hale wrote in his newsletter, Letters from Leo. He noted that the bishop gave an interview to Kevin Clarke of America magazine, published Friday, and repeated the charge. French's refusal to apologize — and his decision to raise money off the uproar — left the bishop "astounded and disturbed." The photo, Olson said, was "a point of political exploitation," and its logic was plain: "there's no knowing if those young people are citizens or not. All that is known is that they are of a different complexion."

In the bishop's reading, Hale added, these were "not even dog whistle words." The students in the photo "were being disqualified from participation in American society — even in something like a football game, as important as that is in Texas — by the color of their skin."

Hale also pointed out that some Texas Republicans are not defending French's racist post but are still supporting his campaign. With the race set to be decided in November, he framed the silence of the state's top Republicans as the story that matters:

"A Catholic bishop in Fort Worth said more in three sentences than the governor of Texas has managed in a week," Hale argued. "He was called an apostate for it, and he answered by giving an interview in which he repeated himself, slowly, for the record. That is what a shepherd looks like when the wolves are inside the fence. The Republican Party of Texas may yet find its voice before November. The Church in Texas did not wait."

This report was originally published by Alternet.