The big picture
After three terms as Texas' top lawyer, incumbent Ken Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, leaving his office open. Joan Huffman, Mayes Middleton, Aaron Reitz and Chip Roy are seeking the Republican nomination for attorney general.
The winner of the Republican primary will face the winning Democratic candidate in November. The winner of that election will be sworn in for a four-year term in January 2027.
Information about the Democratic candidates for Texas attorney general is available here.
Preparing for the polls
Early voting begins Feb. 17 for March 3 primary races across Texas, including 18 statewide races and various local races. Registered voters may cast ballots in either Texas’ Republican or Democratic primary, but not both. Third-party candidates will appear on the ballot in November.
For more coverage of state and local races, visit communityimpact.com/election.
What you need to know
Community Impact gave all candidates running for contested statewide offices more than three weeks to complete the primary election questionnaire and communicated with their campaigns periodically. Community Impact's goal with election Q&As is to provide a side-by-side, equitable resource for Texas voters to review candidates' perspectives as they prepare to head to the polls.
To ensure that candidates are the ones defining their positions in Community Impact's voter guide, if candidates did not complete the questionnaire after multiple attempts to contact them, the website reads "candidate did not respond to questionnaire before press time." Candidates were informed of this policy.
Candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been minimally edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.
Joan Huffman
Occupation & Experience:
Former prosecutor and criminal district judge, now Texas State Senator with proven public safety record
Candidate Website:
https://www.joanhuffman.com/
Contact Information:
[email protected]
What would your top priorities be if elected?
My top priorities are aggressively combating violent crime by prosecuting repeat offenders, launching statewide task forces, and providing essential resources and training to law enforcement and district attorneys; targeting cartels and border threats through strong prosecutions and collaboration; and enforcing election integrity to safeguard every legal vote.
What would you like to see the Office of the Attorney General do in collaboration with local law enforcement and local government attorneys?
My top priority will be public safety and supporting local law enforcement. I will aggressively prosecute career criminals, partner closely with DAs, sheriffs, and officers statewide, provide training and resources, establish task forces to target violent crime, and ensure repeat violent offenders are removed from our communities.
What priorities would you focus on when it comes to the OAG’s goal of promoting transparency and public access to government?
As Texas Attorney General, I will aggressively enforce the Public Information Act to ensure government transparency and accountability. I will vigorously pursue violations, protect citizens’ right to access public records, and hold any non-compliant entities accountable.
How would you decide which litigation to pursue on behalf of the state?
I would prioritize litigation that advances conservative principles, protects Texans’ freedoms, and upholds the rule of law. I would focus on high-impact cases involving violent crime, border security, election integrity, and federal overreach, while consulting closely with local law enforcement and district attorneys.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
The greatest challenge in the next five years is public safety threatened by violent crime, cartel fentanyl trafficking, and border dangers. Keeping Texans safe has been my career mission. I will prioritize aggressive prosecutions, statewide task forces, law enforcement support, and cartel accountability to protect our communities.
Mayes Middleton
Occupation & Experience:
Attorney; conservative state senator; oil and gas executive; rancher and farmer; Freedom Caucus chairman
Candidate Website:
https://mayesmiddleton.com/
Contact Information:
[email protected]
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Support Trump’s efforts to deport illegal immigrants, dismantle cartels and secure elections through dedicated divisions, root out corruption via an anti-corruption team, protect families from woke agendas, be tough on crime by supporting law enforcement. I'll fight relentlessly to make Texas the safest state in America.
What would you like to see the Office of the Attorney General do in collaboration with local law enforcement and local government attorneys?
Our laws and Constitution are not suggestions. I will provide legal support, training, and resources for border security and election integrity; form joint task forces against cartels, trafficking, and corruption; defend locals from federal overreach with opinions and litigation; hold rogue prosecutors accountable through enforcement and removal.
What priorities would you focus on when it comes to the OAG’s goal of promoting transparency and public access to government?
Issue timely opinions with public summaries and searchable databases; publish detailed quarterly budget reports on expenditures and settlements; ensure prompt PIA responses with minimal delays and an online tracking portal; release annual transparency reports; prosecute open government violations. Government must operate fully in the sunlight for Texans.
How would you decide which litigation to pursue on behalf of the state?
Prioritize cases that defend Texas sovereignty, secure borders, uphold election integrity, protect conservative values and protect children from harm, and combat fraud or abuse in government. I will protect, defend and enforce our laws and Constitution and set the conservative agenda for our great state.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
We don’t have another Texas to move to, and the left is trying to drag our state down like California. As a seventh-generation Texan, I will never relent in protecting our Texas exceptionalism, our conservative values and keeping our families safe. This spiritual battle, for our kids, is paramount.
Aaron Reitz
Occupation & Experience:
Current: Attorney. Former: Trump DOJ official, Cruz chief, Paxton deputy, and Marine officer.
Candidate Website:
https://reitzfortexas.com/
Contact Information:
[email protected]
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Advancing the America First Law and Order Agenda: accelerate the deportation of illegal aliens; defeat liberal, woke ideology everywhere it’s hiding; secure our elections and enhance integrity of the ballot box; bring justice to corrupt, crime-infested, Democrat cities and counties; defend Texans’ constitutional rights; and stop Sharia Law.
What would you like to see the Office of the Attorney General do in collaboration with local law enforcement and local government attorneys?
Big blue cities and counties are breeding grounds of anti-Americanism in Texas. These Democrats must be held accountable for their hostility to the Rule of Law, as well as their rampant fraud, waste, and abuse. As AG, I will partner with local law enforcement to reverse Democrat decline.
What priorities would you focus on when it comes to the OAG’s goal of promoting transparency and public access to government?
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Open records and public information are some of the most helpful tools in exposing Democrat-led city and county fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption. I intend to turn the bright lights of transparency on so that we can crush the cockroaches ruining our state.
How would you decide which litigation to pursue on behalf of the state?
My chief legal duty is to the U.S. and Texas constitutions. Anything that violates our nation’s or state’s highest law will get my priority attention. Having led legal troops into legal combat for years, I know from hard-fought experience that these violations always come from the left.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
Illegal immigration, un-assimilated “legal” immigration, the creeping influence of Sharia, un-secure elections, Soros-funded and -aligned district attorneys, public schools that indoctrinate kids with woke nonsense, the radical sexual left that wants to trans our kids, DEI, and the full parade of horribles funded, backed, and pushed by Democrats.
Chip Roy
Occupation & Experience:
Texas Congressman, former federal prosecutor and First Assistant Attorney General, conservative constitutional lawyer and legislator.
Candidate Website:
https://chiproy.com/
Contact Information:
[email protected]
What would your top priorities be if elected?
Dismantle trafficking and open border operations, aggressively pursue election and public corruption fraud, expose leftist dark money and Islamist networks, and rein in rogue prosecutors who refuse to enforce the law. Secure the border, secure our streets, defend Texas sovereignty, and ensure Texans own Texas, not multinational corporations.
What would you like to see the Office of the Attorney General do in collaboration with local law enforcement and local government attorneys?
Serve as a force multiplier, supporting investigations and prosecutions of fraud, cartel activity, Islamist networks, and corruption. Provide legal authority, intelligence coordination, and litigation support so local officials can enforce the law.
What priorities would you focus on when it comes to the OAG’s goal of promoting transparency and public access to government?
Expose fraud, dark money pipelines, nonprofit fronts, and bureaucratic shielding that hide corruption and lawlessness. Enforce open records and open meetings laws aggressively so Texans can see who is funding or profiting from policies that undermine public safety and sovereignty.
How would you decide which litigation to pursue on behalf of the state?
I will pursue litigation that stops fraud, protects public safety, and defends Texas sovereignty against cartel facilitation, election abuses, extremist activity, rogue prosecutors, and unconstitutional federal mandates and overreach. If Texas law is being violated and we have authority, we will act decisively.
What do you see as the greatest challenge for Texas in the next five years?
The normalization of lawlessness, fraud embedded in elections and government, cartels and foreigners exploiting open borders, extremist networks operating inside Texas, dark money funding chaos, and prosecutors refusing to act. If lawlessness goes unpunished, the rule of law collapses.
