Updated: May 27, 2026
Texas voters headed to the polls on May 26, 2026, to cast their ballots in one of the most closely watched primary runoff races in the state — the contest to determine who will become the next Attorney General of Texas. With longtime incumbent Ken Paxton vacating the office to pursue a U.S. Senate seat, both the Republican and Democratic parties held competitive runoffs to settle their nominations ahead of the November 3 general election.
Why Is There a Runoff for Texas Attorney General?
Texas requires primary candidates to clear 50% of the vote to win outright. When no candidate clears that threshold, the top two finishers face each other in a follow-up runoff election. In the March 3, 2026 Republican primary for Attorney General, four candidates competed — and none crossed the majority line.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton finished first with approximately 39.2% of the vote, followed by U.S. Rep. Chip Roy at around 31.6%. State Sen. Joan Huffman and former Justice Department official Aaron Reitz trailed behind and did not advance. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson led with roughly 48.1% and Joe Jaworski followed with 26.4%, also failing to clinch outright, forcing a Democratic runoff as well.
Republican Runoff: Mayes Middleton vs. Chip Roy
Who Is Mayes Middleton?
Mayes Middleton is a wealthy oilman, president of an oil company, and state senator representing Galveston. He previously served in the Texas House from 2019 to 2023 and once chaired the Texas House Freedom Caucus — making him one of the most ideologically right-leaning figures in state politics. Middleton has positioned himself as a fervent Trump ally, branding himself “MAGA Mayes” and calling himself “a steadfast ally of President Trump and a proven champion of the America First movement.”
Middleton came into the runoff as the frontrunner after contributing nearly $14 million of his own money to his campaign, funding an aggressive advertising blitz that flooded Texas airwaves and mailboxes. Going into May 26, a University of Houston poll gave Middleton a 9-point lead over Roy (48% to 39%) among likely runoff voters, with 13% still undecided. He was considered heavily favored to win.
Who Is Chip Roy?
Rep. Chip Roy is a U.S. House member representing Texas’ 21st Congressional District (Austin area) since 2019. He is a member of the U.S. House Freedom Caucus and previously served as a former chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz as well as a deputy to Ken Paxton himself. Roy entered the race as the initial frontrunner based on name recognition and endorsements from prominent conservatives, including Sen. Ted Cruz.
However, Roy’s opponents relentlessly attacked his relationship with President Trump. Roy backed Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, clashed with Trump over the debt ceiling, and was initially opposed to Trump’s signature legislative package — stances that proved costly in a primary electorate where MAGA loyalty is paramount. Although Roy ultimately supported the legislation, opponents never let voters forget the friction.
At a primary debate, Middleton directly slammed Roy’s record: “What we don’t need is somebody who would be an attorney general like Chip Roy, who spent 10 years fighting President Trump.”
Despite the attacks, Roy raised significant funds and maintained backing from conservative leaders. He had approximately $1.2 million cash on hand heading into the runoff, compared to Middleton’s reported $28,000 — suggesting Roy’s advantage lay in organizational strength while Middleton leaned on his massive self-funded spending edge.
Trump Did Not Endorse in the Republican AG Runoff
Notably, President Donald Trump did not weigh in on the Republican attorney general race, a contrast to his high-profile endorsement of Ken Paxton over Sen. John Cornyn in the U.S. Senate runoff on the same ballot. Both Roy and Middleton aggressively sought to tie themselves to Trump’s agenda, but neither secured the coveted presidential blessing.
What Is at Stake?
The Texas Attorney General’s office has grown into one of the most powerful and politically consequential roles in the country. Under Ken Paxton, the office became a conservative legal powerhouse, filing aggressive lawsuits against Democratic administrations, local governments, and nonprofits. Both Middleton and Roy vowed to continue using the office to advance conservative priorities through litigation.
Roy additionally emphasized strengthening the agency’s core bureaucratic functions — including child support enforcement and consumer protection — which critics say languished under Paxton.
Democratic Runoff: Nathan Johnson Wins
On the Democratic side, state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas has won the party’s nomination for Texas Attorney General, defeating former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski. Johnson had already led Jaworski by a wide margin in the March primary (48.1% to 26.4%), and the runoff confirmed him as the Democratic standard-bearer for November.
Johnson will now face the Republican nominee — either Middleton or Roy — in the November 3 general election.
The Road to November: Long Odds for Democrats
Regardless of which Republican wins the nomination, the Democratic nominee faces a steep uphill climb. A Democrat has not won a statewide race in Texas since 1994 — a streak that has now stretched more than three decades. In 2022, a legally embattled Ken Paxton still managed to win re-election by nearly 10 percentage points; in the 2018 Democratic wave year, he won by 3.6 points. The Republican nominee will enter the fall as a heavy favorite.
Still, Johnson’s backers hope that a competitive national environment and the open-seat dynamics could make 2026 slightly more favorable ground than past cycles.
Key Dates to Remember
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Texas Primary Election | March 3, 2026 |
| Early Voting (Runoff) | May 18–22, 2026 |
| Primary Runoff Election | May 26, 2026 |
| General Election | November 3, 2026 |
What the Texas Attorney General Actually Does
The Texas Attorney General is the state’s chief legal officer. The role carries enormous responsibility, including:
- Defending the state in legal challenges to Texas laws and agencies
- Issuing legal opinions that interpret state law for government officials
- Suing on behalf of Texans in consumer protection, antitrust, and civil rights cases
- Enforcing child support orders across the state
- Leading major litigation against the federal government when Texas disputes federal policy
Under Paxton, the office became especially prominent nationally for its aggressive use of litigation as a political tool. Whoever succeeds him will inherit that infrastructure — and the political expectations that come with it.
Summary: What We Know So Far
- Republican runoff: Mayes Middleton (frontrunner, self-funded, MAGA-aligned) vs. Chip Roy (endorsed by Cruz, experience-focused). Results still being finalized as of May 27, 2026.
- Democratic runoff winner: Nathan Johnson (state senator from Dallas) defeats Joe Jaworski.
- General election: November 3, 2026 — Republican nominee vs. Nathan Johnson.
- Historical context: Texas has not elected a Democrat to statewide office since 1994, making the Republican nominee the heavy November favorite.
Who do you think will come out on top in November — and does this race change your view of Texas politics? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and bookmark this page for the latest updates as final results roll in!