Middleton holds 5-point lead over Johnson in Texas AG race
Voters cast ballots Tuesday for the state's top lawyer, a role that has remained with the same officeholder for over a decade.
By Kofi Costa ·
Texas voters select a new attorney general on Tuesday, Nov. 3, ending a period of over ten years in which Ken Paxton held the statewide office. The ballot features three candidates: Republican state senator Mayes Middleton, Democrat state senator Nathan Johnson, and Libertarian Tom Oxford. A University of Houston poll released last month places Middleton ahead by approximately five points.
The next officeholder will assume responsibility for enforcing consumer protection laws, collecting child support, and issuing legal opinions on state statutes. The position also involves representing the state in lawsuits and defending state laws in court. While the attorney general can prosecute certain criminal offenses, most criminal cases remain under the jurisdiction of local district attorneys.
Middleton, who represents District 11 covering Galveston County and parts of Houston, seeks to expand the office's authority to prosecute state law violations. The candidate also advocates for aggressive immigration enforcement, including coordination with the Trump administration on border security. His platform includes pursuing lawsuits against companies for deceptive trade practices and investigating government corruption.
Johnson, a senator representing parts of Dallas County, proposes a different operational approach. He intends to collaborate more closely with local district attorneys to improve public safety. His platform supports border security but opposes specific immigration enforcement tactics that he argues violate constitutional rights. He also plans to challenge federal actions he deems unlawful, including those by the current administration.
Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University, noted the office's historical influence on national legal matters. He described the race as high stakes, emphasizing the role of the attorney general in interpreting the Texas Constitution. Jones observed that the polling margin is not insurmountable if Democratic turnout increases and Republican turnout remains lower than expected.
Paxton, who has served since 2015, is leaving the post to run for the U.S. Senate. The election determines who will lead the office for the next four years. The decision will shape legal strategies regarding federal immigration policies, consumer protection, and criminal justice enforcement across the state.
Voters in the state decide the outcome on election day. The result will establish the next leader of an office responsible for major legal decisions affecting businesses, government agencies, and residents. The candidate who secures the most votes will begin the four-year term following the certification of results.
