State Rep. Gene Wu, leader of the Texas House Democrats, is under fire after a Dec. 31 podcast clip showed him urging Latino, Black and Asian communities to unite against a shared "oppressor" and saying minority communities could "take over" the country to secure fairness. The remarks were widely criticized by Texas Republicans, who called for his resignation. Wu later told the Houston Chronicle he was referring to Republicans as the oppressor; the episode has sparked debate over rhetoric, race and political division in Texas.
Texas House Democratic Leader Draws Criticism After Urging Latinos, Blacks and Asians To Unite Against 'Oppressor'
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu.(Getty Images)
State Rep. Gene Wu, leader of the Texas House Democrats, is facing intense criticism after a Dec. 31, 2024 podcast clip resurfaced in which he urged Latino, Black and Asian communities to recognize a shared "oppressor" and suggested that, together, minority communities could "take over" the country to make things fairer.
Podcast Comments and Context
The remarks were made on the Define American podcast with host Antonio Vargas in an episode titled "In this Texas District, 1/3 of Residents are Undocumented." Vargas asked Wu for a broad view of how demographic change is reshaping politics in Texas and nationwide. Wu linked recent anti-immigrant sentiment to what he described as racial anxiety among "White people" and a resurgence of White nationalist ideas.
Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu faced widespread scrutiny after he argued that various racial groups should unite against their common "oppressor."
"The scary thing for me is that what is driving this newest round of anti-immigrant sentiment is purely a sense of White nationalism...that America really just belongs to White people," Wu said on the episode.
When asked about his majority-Latino district and relations among immigrant communities, Wu argued that political forces have worked to keep minority groups divided. He said the day those communities recognize their common oppressor is the day "we start winning," adding that they "have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fair."
Political Backlash
The clip circulated widely on social media and drew sharp rebukes from prominent Texas Republicans. Texas Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton called Wu a "radical racist" for his remarks. Former Texas GOP chairman Matt Rinaldi described the clip as advocating "White genocide" and emphasized Wu's leadership role in the Texas House Democratic caucus.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz was one of many commentators to blast state Rep. Gene Wu's statements online.
Sen. Ted Cruz said the Democratic Party was "built on bigotry," while Rep. Chip Roy demanded Wu's resignation and urged the Texas House to strip him of leadership positions. Critics argued Wu's framing—casting political opponents or demographic groups as a unified enemy—fanned division rather than constructive debate.
Clarification And Reporting
After the backlash, Wu told the Houston Chronicle that his reference to a shared "oppressor" was meant to denote Republicans rather than all White people. Chronicle reporter Evan Mintz wrote that "nowhere in the clip does Wu talk about White people" in the excerpt being circulated, though Mintz also noted that earlier parts of the full interview addressed White racial anxiety about becoming a minority.
Wu told the reporter, "It is undeniable that Republicans have spent the past 50 years beating down communities," according to the Chronicle. Some commentators accepted that clarification, while others said the original language and the idea of "taking over" the country were inflammatory regardless of the intended target.
Wu's office did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment. The episode and its resurfacing have intensified debate in Texas over race, immigration, political rhetoric and how elected officials discuss demographic change.
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