Rep. Chip Roy and state Sen. Mayes Middleton are projected to advance to a May 26 runoff for the Texas Republican nomination for attorney general after no candidate won a majority in the primary. Roy has led recent polls despite high-profile clashes with former President Trump, while Middleton — a major GOP donor and former House Freedom Caucus chairman — self-financed his campaign with more than $10 million. Aaron Reitz, who was endorsed by Ken Paxton, and Joan Huffman were also contenders; Democrats Nathan Johnson, Joe Jaworski and Tony Box are vying for their party’s nomination.
Chip Roy and Mayes Middleton Head to May 26 Runoff in Texas GOP Attorney General Race
Roy, Middleton head for May runoff in Texas attorney general GOP primary
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and state Sen. Mayes Middleton (R) are projected to advance to a May 26 runoff for the Republican nomination for Texas attorney general, Decision Desk HQ reported. No candidate secured the majority needed to win the nomination outright.
Four Republicans competed in the primary, including Aaron Reitz, a former Justice Department official who was endorsed by outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton, and state Sen. Joan Huffman. With Reitz eliminated, attention has turned to whether Paxton will now back Middleton.
A member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Roy has at times clashed with former President Donald Trump and House Republican leadership. He backed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during the 2024 GOP presidential primary and drew criticism from Trump after opposing aspects of the president’s debt-ceiling proposal. Roy initially opposed last year’s so-called megabill but ultimately voted to support it after further developments.
Despite those disputes, Roy has led in recent polling for the attorney general nomination. Middleton — a former chairman of the Texas House Freedom Caucus and a significant GOP donor — remains a close second and heavily self-financed his campaign, spending more than $10 million in the primary.
“What we don’t need is somebody who [would be] an attorney general like Chip Roy, who spent 10 years fighting President Trump, defending [former Wyoming U.S. Rep.] Liz Cheney, calling us MAGA F-ers, and we could kiss his you know what if we didn’t like it,” Middleton said at a primary debate last month, according to KXAN. “We can’t afford that in the AG’s office.”
Opponents have used Roy’s disagreements with Trump to question his conservative bona fides, while Middleton has faced scrutiny over his professional experience and the relative lack of high-profile endorsements despite his substantial campaign spending.
On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson, former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski and attorney Tony Box are competing for their party’s nomination to succeed Paxton.
The runoff between Roy and Middleton is scheduled for May 26. The GOP nominee emerging from that contest will be the favorite in the general election in heavily Republican Texas.
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