Texans will choose a new attorney general on Nov. 3, the first change at the top of that office in nearly 12 years, and the two main candidates disagree sharply about what the job should be.
Ken Paxton, who has held the office since 2015, is running for the U.S. Senate instead. Competing to succeed him are Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas and Libertarian Tom Oxford, an attorney.
As Texas' top lawyer, the attorney general argues the state's cases in court, defends its laws and signs off on public bond issues. The winner gets a four-year term, and there is no limit on how many terms one person can serve, NBC 5 reported.
Two runoff winners
Both major-party nominees came out of May runoffs. Middleton, a two-term former state representative who moved up to the Senate in 2022, beat U.S. Rep. Chip Roy for the GOP nomination. Johnson, in the Senate since 2019, defeated Joe Jaworski.
What each says he would do
Middleton has said he would keep the office on the course Paxton set, The Texan reported, and during the primary he called himself "MAGA Mayes." He has pledged tough enforcement on the border and federal deportation priorities, defense of the state's abortion restrictions and opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
He has also backed letting the office bring its own criminal cases under state law when local prosecutors decline to, while telling The Texan he is open to options such as a statewide prosecutor.
Johnson argues the office has been used for culture-war lawsuits and says he would put consumer protection, antitrust cases and corruption investigations first, regardless of party. He has said he would still sue Washington over border actions he considers unconstitutional, and he wants the office to cooperate with local district attorneys.
