Karl Rove Says He Will Vote for a Democrat, Criticizing Trump-Era GOP

Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove is making an unusual political move this November: He says he will vote for a Democratic candidate in Texas, marking only the second time in his life that he has supported a Democrat.

Rove, a longtime adviser to former President George W. Bush, announced that he plans to vote for Democrat Jon Rosenthal in the Texas Railroad Commission race against Republican nominee Bo French. Rove’s decision follows controversial comments and social-media posts by French about students at the University of Texas at Austin.

Rove has sharply criticized elements of today’s Republican Party. At a recent Atlantic Festival appearance, he said the GOP had been “infiltrated” by what he described as conspiracy theorists and people promoting views he believes are damaging to the party.

In his Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Rove argued that Republican candidates making bigoted or divisive statements are hurting the party’s reputation. He wrote that he would have “no part of it” and said he would vote for Rosenthal.

The decision has also drawn a response from President Donald Trump, who criticized Rove publicly and questioned why Fox News and The Wall Street Journal continue to feature him.

Rove’s decision is notable because he played a major role in building the modern Texas Republican Party and was one of Bush’s most influential political strategists.

His comments now highlight a broader dispute within the Republican Party over immigration, political rhetoric, and the direction of the GOP under Trump.

The Texas race will put Rove’s unusual decision directly into the spotlight as voters prepare for November’s elections.