Mayes Middleton wins Texas GOP runoff for Attorney General

State Sen. Mayes Middleton has secured the Republican nomination for Texas attorney general after defeating U.S. Rep. Chip Roy in a closely watched runoff election Tuesday night. Middleton’s victory positions him as the GOP favorite to succeed outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton in November’s general election.

According to unofficial election returns, Middleton captured 57 percent of the vote compared to Roy’s 43 percent. The outcome capped off a competitive Republican primary battle that highlighted divisions within the conservative movement while underscoring both candidates’ efforts to align themselves with President Donald Trump and the broader MAGA base.

Middleton entered the runoff with momentum after leading the March 3 primary election. In that contest, he earned 39 percent of the vote, while Roy secured 32 percent to advance into the two-person runoff. The race intensified in the months that followed as conservative leaders and donors weighed in on the high-profile contest.

Former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Aaron Reitz endorsed Middleton after the initial primary, helping consolidate support among some conservative legal activists. Meanwhile, state Sen. Joan Huffman declined to endorse either candidate, remaining publicly neutral throughout the runoff campaign.

Although Trump stayed out of the race officially, both candidates worked aggressively to present themselves as the strongest supporter of the president’s political agenda. Middleton embraced the nickname “MAGA Mayes” during the campaign, emphasizing his conservative credentials and alignment with Trump-era policies. Roy, a member of Congress known for his hardline conservative positions, argued that his voting record in Washington most closely reflected Trump’s priorities.

Paxton also avoided formally endorsing a successor in the race. However, reports surfaced that the outgoing attorney general privately indicated he planned to support Middleton in the runoff, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.

Financially, the attorney general runoff drew millions of dollars in spending, though it remained below the record-setting pace seen earlier this year in the Republican U.S. Senate primary involving Paxton, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, and Rep. Wesley Hunt.

Middleton emerged as the dominant spender in the race, reportedly pouring more than $24 million into his campaign, including approximately $16 million from his personal wealth. Roy’s campaign spent nearly $12 million and benefited from substantial outside support, including $5 million from Republican donor Alex Fairly. A large portion of that money arrived in the final stretch of the runoff and helped fund an expanded advertising push on Roy’s behalf.

With the Republican nomination secured, Middleton now advances to the general election, where he will face Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson and Libertarian candidate Tom Oxford. Johnson won the Democratic runoff Tuesday with roughly 60 percent of the vote, defeating former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.