Republican voters in Texas will decide in a runoff election whether their nominee for attorney general in November will be Rep. Chip Roy or state Sen. Mayes Middleton.
Roy, author of the SAVE America Act—legislation requiring voter identification that passed the House three times during the 119th Congress—won 32% of the vote in the March primary.
Middleton led the field with 38%, while former candidates Joan Huffman and Aaron Reitz, who did not advance to the runoff, each received about 15%.
Roy Highlights Experience, Questions Opponent’s Qualifications
In a recent campaign ad, Roy—co-founder of the Congressional Sharia-Free America Caucus and a leading voice in the House Freedom Caucus—criticized Middleton’s qualifications, arguing his lack of legal experience renders him unfit for the state’s top legal job.
“The core issue is: I’ve been a lawyer, a prosecutor, first assistant attorney general. I’ve run complex litigation, and I’ve worked with law enforcement over and over again,” Roy said. “My opponent has done none of those things. He’s managed his family royalties. I just don’t believe that you should have somebody who’s having to engage in the on-the-job training as attorney general.”
In Congress, Roy has also pushed legislation targeting groups such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which he has accused of wrongdoing in connection with ongoing legal actions by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“CAIR is not some innocent 501(c)(3) organization—they facilitate terrorism while operating under the guise of a nonprofit,” Roy previously told The Daily Signal. “This bill makes it clear: Their assets must be frozen, their tax-exempt status revoked, and all Americans should be prohibited from supporting them.”
Roy, who chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, has also held hearings examining whether Obama-era policies limiting schools from collecting students’ immigration status incentivize illegal immigration.
“Decades ago, the Supreme Court’s erroneous decision in Plyler v. Doe set a misguided precedent by extending taxpayer-funded public education to those in the country illegally,” Roy previously told The Daily Signal. “As our schools face growing strain, it’s time for Congress and the courts to reexamine this decision and put American students and taxpayers first.”
Middleton Secures Key Endorsements, Highlights Conservative Record
Despite Roy’s criticism, Middleton has secured notable endorsements, including from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and former candidate Aaron Reitz.
“Middleton has established a record as one of the most conservative senators in Texas history,” Patrick wrote on X. “He will make the Texas Office of the Attorney General the strongest and most impactful AG office in the nation. He will work collaboratively with President Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice to protect our Constitution.”
In the Texas Senate, Middleton has been a vocal opponent of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in education.
He has also taken a firm stance on transgender participation in sports. In 2023, Middleton sponsored the Save Women’s Sports Act, which bars biological males from competing in women’s sports.
“He has led the charge against radical woke policies like DEI, ESG, Critical Race Theory, and allowing men in women’s sports,” his campaign website says.
The polls close tonight at 7 p.m. Central.
