Joan Huffman Enters Texas Attorney General Race

State Senator Joan Huffman (R) has officially entered the race for Texas Attorney General, becoming the latest Republican to seek Texas’ top legal position. If elected, state Senator Huffman would become the first woman to serve as attorney general in Texas’ history.

“I will be elected attorney general because I am the best-qualified, most experienced candidate who understands the intricacies of every function of state government,” she said in her announcement.

State Senator Huffman has represented the Houston area in the Texas Senate since 2008. She is currently the chair of the Senate Finance Committee and has played an integral role in shaping the state budget. Previously, she served as an assistant district attorney in Harris County for 13 years, trying over 100 jury cases ranging from murder to sexual assault.

“The attorney general is the lawyer for the state and every state agency,” she said. “As the person trusted to write the state budget, I know the ins and outs of every facet of state government.”

The state senator joins a growing Republican primary field that includes Aaron Reitz (R), a former U.S. Marine and Justice Department official, and state Senator Mayes Middleton (R), a businessman and first-term legislator. Since announcing his candidacy, state Senator Middleton has received a significant amount of support.

In her announcement, state Senator Huffman directed criticism at her Republican rivals, commenting, “you want an experienced attorney, not someone who’s never seen the inside of a courtroom or is simply a young politician climbing the political ladder.”

On social media, Reitz responded to the criticism, writing, “I welcome Joan Huffman to the race for Texas AG. The liberals now have their candidate.” Reitz further pushed back on the state Senator’s “young politician” remark, calling it “totally misleading.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election. Instead, he has chosen to challenge Senator John Cornyn (R) for his seat.