Texas Voters Decide Attorney General Nominees in Primary Runoffs

Texas voters have selected their nominees for attorney general following the statewide runoff elections, setting up the general election matchup for one of the state's most high-profile offices.

On the Republican side, State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R) defeated U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R) with 55.2% of the vote to Roy's 44.8%, securing the Republican nomination for attorney general.

Middleton, a conservative state lawmaker and businessman from Galveston, campaigned on border security, opposition to federal overreach, and support for President Donald Trump's agenda.

Roy, a member of Congress known for his role in the House Freedom Caucus, had received endorsements from several national conservatives during the runoff campaign, including Florida gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R).

The Attorney General runoff became one of the most closely watched statewide races after current Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. John Cornyn.

On the Democratic side, State Sen. Nathan Johnson (D) won the Democratic nomination wiht 60.5% of the vote, defeating former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski (D), who recieved 39.5%.

Johnson, a Dallas Democrat and attorney, emphasized public education, healthcare access, and government accountability throughout the campaign. Jaworski, an attorney and former mayor, previously ran for attorney general in 2022 and focused heavily on ethics reform and consumer protection issues.

The attorney general race will now move to the general election, where Middleton and Johnson are expected to battle over issues including immigration enforcement, lawsuits against the federal government, crime policy, and the future direction of the attorney general's office after Paxton's tenure.