The Battle for the Soul of the Texas GOP: A Look at the Heated Attorney General Primary

The race to succeed Ken Paxton has become a proxy war for the ideological future of the Texas Republican Party.

What to Know:

• Paxton’s Senate run has opened a rare, high-stakes Republican primary for Texas attorney general.
  
  
• Four Republicans are competing for the nomination: Joan Huffman, Mayes Middleton, Aaron Reitz, and Chip Roy.
  
  
• The race reflects a broader GOP divide between establishment-aligned conservatives and the America First wing.
  
  
• Chip Roy currently leads in polling, aided by an endorsement from Ted Cruz.
  
  
• The winner will shape Texas legal policy and influence national conservative litigation efforts.

The Republican primary for Texas Attorney General is shaping up to be a defining moment for the future of the GOP in the state. With incumbent Ken Paxton vacating the seat to challenge U.S. Senator John Cornyn, a field of four prominent Republicans has emerged, each vying to become the state's top lawyer. This race is more than just a contest for a powerful office; it's a battle for the ideological direction of the Republican Party in Texas, a state that serves as a stronghold for the national conservative movement.

The Republican primary for Texas Attorney General is shaping up to be a defining moment for the GOP. With Ken Paxton vacating the seat to challenge Sen. John Cornyn, four prominent Republicans have entered the race, making this contest a referendum on the party’s future direction.

Below is a brief overview of each candidate in the race:

The Candidates

The four Republicans competing in the March 3rd primary are State Senator Joan Huffman, State Senator Mayes Middleton, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Aaron Reitz, and U.S. Representative Chip Roy.

Joan Huffman: The Establishment Conservative

Joan Huffman: A former prosecutor and district judge, Huffman is campaigning on her extensive legal experience and commitment to law and order. As a state senator, she has authored legislation to increase penalties for violent crimes and fund border security. In a recent forum, she stated, "You want someone who is going to defend your freedom, who's going to defend your rights, but will also aggressively prosecute and go after those who want to harm you, your families or your communities.”

Mayes Middleton: The Self-Funder

Aaron Reitz: The "America First" Continuity Candidate

Aaron Reitz: As a former deputy to Ken Paxton and a former Trump administration official, Reitz is positioning himself as the "America First" candidate. He is endorsed by Paxton and boasts of being called a "true MAGA attorney" by Donald Trump. Reitz has promised to continue Paxton's aggressive legal strategy, stating he would "use every tool at my disposal to secure the border, protect jobs, defend constitutional rights, and push back against the radical left's attempts to remake our state."

Chip Roy: The Frontrunner with Conservative Star Power

Chip Roy: A congressman and the current frontrunner in the polls, Roy has the backing of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz. Recent polling shows Roy with a significant lead, with one poll putting him at 49% of the vote. Roy is running on a platform of fighting federal overreach and defending conservative principles.

A Proxy War for the Senate

The Attorney General primary is deeply intertwined with the contentious U.S. Senate primary between incumbent John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. This senate race is widely seen as a struggle between the establishment wing of the Texas GOP, represented by Cornyn, and the more populist, hardline conservative faction, embodied by Paxton. The candidates for Attorney General have largely aligned themselves with one of these camps, with Reitz firmly in the Paxton camp and the other candidates appealing to a broader range of Republican voters.

The increasingly bitter tone of the Senate race is trickling down to the Attorney General contest. Paxton recently issued a controversial legal opinion attacking a decades-old policy from Cornyn's time as Attorney General, a move Cornyn slammed as an abuse of office for political gain. This high-profile feud is forcing the AG candidates to choose sides and is further defining the ideological splits within the party.

Wrap Up

The office of Attorney General of Texas is one of the most powerful and influential in the country. As the top lawyer for the largest red state, the Attorney General plays an "outsized role in the conservative legal movement," according to The Texas Tribune. In recent years, the office has been at the forefront of legal challenges to Democratic presidential administrations on issues like immigration, environmental regulations, and healthcare. The next Attorney General will not only determine the legal direction of Texas for years to come but will also be a key player in the national conservative legal strategy.

This election is a critical juncture for the Texas GOP. The outcome will signal whether the party's base favors the more confrontational, "America First" approach of Paxton and Reitz, or a more traditional, but still staunchly conservative, path. As Paul Nolette, a political science professor who studies attorneys general, told the Texas Tribune, “The impact that they can have, on the state, nationally, and really on any issue that you care about, is immense.” With the primary just weeks away, the battle for the soul of the Texas GOP is fully underway.