Republican Candidates Clash in Texas Attorney General Debate

Four candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Texas Attorney General -- State Sen. Mayes Middleton, State Sen. Joan Huffman, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy -- exchanged sharp remarks over experience and records during the Republican Attorney General Association (RAGA) debate.

The debate featured 16 questions covering a wide range of issues, including Sharia law, entitlement fraud, border security, antisemitism, aborton-inducing pills, transgender policies, women's spaces, environmental regulations imposed by other states, liberal district attorneys, fentanyl, marijuana, gambling, China, Texas's open primary system, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the limits of the attorney general's authority.

On most issues, the candidates expressed similarly conservative positions, with differences emerging primarily over strategy and political feasibility.

When asked whether Texas should adopt a closed primary system and what role the attorney general should play, Rep. Roy responded immediately.

"Yes, and enforce the law," said Roy.

State Sen. Huffman countered that any enforcement action would depend on legislative action.

"Well, I think the Legislature needs to write that law so the attorney general would know what to enforce and how to enforce it," said Huffman. "And they have not to this point. So I would wait and see what the legislature does, but I will enforce any law the legislature passed."

Texas currently operates under an open primary system, allowing registered voters to choose a Republican or Democratic ballot regardless of party affiliation.

The first clash of the night occurred during a discussion on border security, after Roy highlighted his previous work under current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who attended the event. Reitz, who previously served in a senior role in the attorney general's office and is endorsed by Paxton in the race, questioned Roy's tenure.

"Don't be fooled when [Roy] tells you that he was Paxton's chief deputy and he wants to cite his record there," said Reitz. "He was so ineffective, so bad at serving as Paxton's deputy, that Paxton fired him."

Roy denied the allegation and pointed to his backing from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, stating that Cruz has "put his full confidence in me to serve as the Attorney General of Texas." However, both Roy and Reitz have served as Cruz's chief of staff.

Tensions escalated further during closing statements, when Roy criticized State Sen. Middleton.

"I'm not a trust fund kid spending my family's money," said Roy, referencing Middleton's decision to commit $10 million of personal funds to his campaign.

Middleton responded directly to Roy in his closing remarks.

"What we don't need is somebody who [would be] an attorney general like Chip Roy, who spent 10 years fighting President Trump, defending Liz Cheney, calling us MAGA F-ers, and we could kiss his you know what if we didn't like it," said Middleton. "We can't afford that in the AG's office."

While policy differences among the four Republican candidates were often narrow, the debate underscored deep divisions over experience, loyalty, and political credentials. With the primary approaching, the contest appears to focus more on which candidate can most convincingly argue they are best equipped to lead the Texas attorney general's office.