Republican voters in Texas will choose their nominee for attorney general on Tuesday from two candidates pitching themselves as better allies to President Donald Trump, even though neither has received his official backing.
The contest is between U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Austin and state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, who are seeking to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton, running for U.S. Senate.
Middleton has dubbed himself "MAGA Mayes" to burnish his allegiance to Trump, hitting Roy over past disagreements with the president, including in 2023 when Trump called on someone to primary the congressman.
Roy has leaned into his deep roots in Republican politics and experience in state and federal government, arguing his disagreements with Trump over the original version of the "Big Beautiful Bill" have been overblown. He has questioned Middleton's qualifications, accusing the executive of never practicing law.
With $24 million being spent on the runoff, the race is the second-most expensive in Texas after the high-profile battle for U.S. Senate. The attorney general's office is one of the most powerful in the state, used by Paxton to bolster his national profile by suing the Biden administration and filing lawsuits to advance a GOP agenda.