Middleton defeats Roy in GOP attorney general runoff
The Texas Tribune • • nation
Key Points:
- Galveston state Sen. Mayes Middleton won the GOP nomination for Texas attorney general, defeating U.S. Rep. Chip Roy after heavily investing nearly $17 million of his own money into the race.
- Middleton positioned himself as a staunch Trump loyalist, criticizing Roy for his past remarks on Trump's conduct and support for Ron DeSantis, while promoting his conservative legislative record.
- The attorney general race is the first open contest in over a decade, with both Middleton and Roy pledging to continue the office's conservative legal agenda established under Ken Paxton.
- Despite Roy’s strong conservative credentials and independence from Trump, his strained relationship with the former president and GOP leadership hindered his campaign in a party that values Trump loyalty.
- Middleton will face Democrat Dallas state Sen. Nathan Johnson in the November general election, with Johnson promising to restore non-partisan agency functions and oppose Trump-era policies.