US Party Leaders Disavow Candidates Over Offensive Social Media Posts

Democratic and Republican party leaders in North Carolina and Texas have disavowed candidates from their own parties following the discovery of offensive social media posts.

In North Carolina, the House Democratic Caucus and the Guilford County Democratic Party withdrew all financial, operational, and organizational support from House candidate Shelly Headen. The decision followed posts in which Headen wished for the death of "MAGAs" and suggested an attack on U.S. soil in Alabama or Louisiana.

In Texas, Republican leaders, including the state house speaker and U.S. Senator John Cornyn, condemned state railroad commission candidate Bo French. French posted a photo of students of color at a University of Texas football game, claiming that "foreigners" had displaced Americans. Senator Cornyn characterized the comments as "intolerance and racism."

While most party leaders limited their response to disassociation, strategist Karl Rove took further action by explicitly endorsing French's Democratic opponent, Jon Rosenthal.