Texas Attorney General election, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

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2022
Texas Attorney General
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 8, 2025
Primary: March 3, 2026
Primary runoff: May 26, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Texas

Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2026
Impact of term limits in 2026
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
Texas
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
Agriculture Commissioner
Comptroller
Land Commissioner
Railroad Commissioner
State Board of Education (8 seats)

Joan Huffman (R), Mayes Middleton (R), Aaron Reitz (R), and Chip Roy (R) are running in the Republican primary election for Texas Attorney General on March 3, 2026.

Incumbent Ken Paxton (R) is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Texas in 2026.

The Texas Tribune's Gabby Birenbaum and Eleanor Klibanoff wrote that "[as] the biggest attorney general's office in a red state, Texas' top lawyer serves an outsized role in the conservative legal movement."[1] Birenbaum also said the race will likely be characterized by candidates "position[ing] themselves as the ideological heirs to Paxton’s conservative legal movement, which has put Texas at the forefront of high-profile cases on religious liberty, abortion and election law."[2]

Huffman was elected to the Texas State Senate in 2008. She previously worked as a prosecutor and a judge.[3] Huffman is campaigning on her legal experience, saying she has worked to "[uphold] the rule of law and [protect] our families."[3] She is also campaigning on her support of law enforcement and public safety, highlighting legislation she wrote that increased penalties for violent crimes, targeted drug trafficking, and funded border security.[3] The Houston Police Officers Union and Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association endorsed Huffman.[4]

Middleton was elected to the state Senate in 2023 and served in the Texas House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. He is an attorney and president of an oil company.[5] Middleton is campaigning on his support for President Donald Trump’s (R) agenda, calling himself "a steadfast ally of President Trump and a proven champion of the America First movement."[5] Middleton says he would focus on public safety and would “fight to secure the border, ensure law and order, and be tough on crime."[6] U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) endorsed Middleton.[7]

Reitz is an attorney who served as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy in the U.S. Department of Justice from March to June 2025, and he previously served as Texas’ Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy under Paxton.[8][9] Reitz is campaigning on his support of Paxton, saying, "Under Ken Paxton, Texas has been a shining example for the conservative movement on how to fight and win against the enemies of Law, Order, and Liberty."[2] He is also campaigning on his support of and connection to Trump, saying he would "ensure the full weight of the Office of the Attorney General is behind President Trump and his agenda," and noting that Trump called him "a true MAGA attorney."[10][11] Paxton endorsed Reitz.[2]

Roy was elected to the U.S. House in 2019. He previously served as Texas’ First Assistant Attorney General under Paxton.[12] Roy is campaigning on his support of Paxton’s legal approach, saying, "[Paxton] and his team have done a great job fighting to defend Texas … We’re going to continue that legacy going forward."[1] Highlighting his legislative career, Roy says he has experience with border security, supporting law enforcement, and combating election fraud.[13] U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) endorsed Roy.[2]

Aaron Reitz (R) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here.

This page focuses on Texas' Republican Party Attorney General primary. For more in-depth information on Texas' Democratic Attorney General primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Recent updates

This section includes a timeline of events leading up to the election, such as debates, polls, and noteworthy endorsements. Know of something we missed? Let us know.

  • November 11, 2025

    Pulse Decision Science released a poll of 800 likely voters, showing Roy receiving 40% of the vote to Huffman's 13%, Middleton's 13%, and Reitz's 7%. The margin of error was ± 3.5.[18]

  • October 8, 2025

    The University of Houston and Texas Southern University released a poll showing Roy receiving 40% of the vote to Huffman's 12%, Reitz's 8%, and Middleton's 3%. The margin of error was ± 4.1.[17]

  • September 17, 2025

    co/efficient released a poll of 473 likely voters, showing Roy receiving 24% of the vote to Huffman's 8%, Reitz's 7%, and Middleton's 4%. The margin of error was ± 4.5.[16]

View all

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list of candidates is unofficial. The filing deadline for this election has passed, and Ballotpedia is working to update this page with the official candidate list. This note will be removed once the official candidate list has been added.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas

Joan Huffman, Mayes Middleton, Aaron Reitz, and Chip Roy are running in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 3, 2026.


Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Voting information

See also: Voting in Texas

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.


Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Image of Joan Huffman

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Huffman received a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a J.D. from South Texas School of Law. She previously worked as a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and served as a judge in Harris County.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Huffman highlighted her legal experience and said she "[upheld] the rule of law and [protected] our families." She also said she worked to "strengthen the criminal justice system and bring transparency and accountability to the judiciary."


On public safety, Huffman called herself a "tireless supporter of our law enforcement officers" and said she worked to fund law enforcement, pass bail reform legislation, and increase penalties for violent crimes during her legislative career.


Huffman said she would support border security, noting that she "appropriated billions of dollars toward Operation Lone Star to help our state address the massive surge of illegal immigrants." She said, "[T]here is still work to be done as dangerous individuals and narcotics continue to illegally cross our vast southern border."


Huffman highlighted her legislative career as displaying her priorities, saying she passed legislation that improved election security, lowered taxes, and cut spending.


Show sources

Image of Mayes Middleton

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Middleton received a bachelor’s degree and J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. At the time of the election, he was an attorney, worked as the president of an oil company, and operated ranches and farms.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Middleton said his record supported President Donald Trump’s agenda and said he was "a steadfast ally of President Trump and a proven champion of the America First movement."


On public safety, Middleton said he would prioritize border security and prosecuting violent crimes. Middleton said he would "arrest and deport dangerous, violent criminals who have entered our country illegally."


Middleton said he would support taxpayers and consumers by "[enforcing] the open records act so it’s easy for taxpayers to know how their dollars are spent" and "[suing] corporations for deceptive trade practices."


Middleton said he would focus on election security by enforcing current election laws and "[ensuring] only legally qualified U.S. citizen voters vote in our Texas elections."


Show sources

Image of Aaron Reitz

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography "I’m a Christian, husband, father of four, U.S. Marine, and lifelong conservative fighter who has spent my career on the front lines of lawfare combat. I married my high school sweetheart, and together we’re raising our family in Central Texas. I joined the Marine Corps out of a deep sense of duty, serving in Afghanistan and swearing an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic—a promise I’ve carried with me into every role since. After my military service, I dedicated my career to defending Texas and conservative values in the legal and political arena. I served as Ken Paxton’s Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy, where I led Texas’s biggest fights on border security, election integrity, and constitutional freedoms. I later served as Chief of Staff to Senator Ted Cruz and was appointed by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to run the Office of Legal Policy at the Department of Justice, where I helped shape national legal strategy and advance the America First justice agenda. In every chapter of my life, I’ve fought for the principles that keep Texas strong: faith, family, freedom, and the rule of law. I’m not a career politician; I’m a Texan who knows our state and nation are worth defending with everything I have. My record proves I know how to win the battles that matter most, and I’m ready to keep serving Texans with the same grit, conviction, and integrity that have guided me my entire life."


Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.


My campaign is all about advancing an America First Law & Order agenda that puts Texans’ freedoms, rights, safety, and sovereignty first. As Attorney General, I will use every tool at my disposal to secure the border, protect jobs, defend constitutional rights, and push back against the radical left’s attempts to remake our state. By going on offense in the courts, I will make sure Texas remains the stronghold of Liberty and the Rule of Law in America.


Securing our southern border is non-negotiable. I will relentlessly pursue legal action against anyone aiding illegal immigration, target the cartels driving human and drug trafficking, and back law enforcement with every tool available. As a former senior Trump DOJ official, I am uniquely positioned to partner with the White House to accelerate operations that identify, arrest, detain, and deport illegal aliens. Restoring border security will protect Texas families, strengthen our economy, and preserve our state’s sovereignty.


I will root out corruption and stop far-left local governments from undermining Texas values. Rogue officials will be held accountable, radical policies blocked, and the far left prevented from steering our state into the ditch. By defending the Constitution and enforcing the rule of law, Texas will remain strong, free, and firmly grounded in the principles that built America.

Image of Chip Roy

WebsiteXYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Roy received a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Virginia, as well as a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. He previously worked as a prosecutor and political advisor to statewide and national politicians, and he previously served as Texas’ First Assistant Attorney General.



Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.


Roy said his legal experience in the Office of Attorney General qualified him for the office, saying, "I’ve prosecuted criminals and had law enforcement’s back."


On public safety, Roy said he would "defend Texas families, secure our communities, and preserve the Lone Star State’s legacy of freedom."


Roy highlighted his legislative career as displaying his priorities, saying he passed legislation that increased border security, supported law enforcement, and promoted election security.


Roy said he would focus on supporting the legal rights of Texans’, saying that he has "[put] Texans above corporate cronyism and global interests" during his legislative career.


Show sources

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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My campaign is all about advancing an America First Law & Order agenda that puts Texans’ freedoms, rights, safety, and sovereignty first. As Attorney General, I will use every tool at my disposal to secure the border, protect jobs, defend constitutional rights, and push back against the radical left’s attempts to remake our state. By going on offense in the courts, I will make sure Texas remains the stronghold of Liberty and the Rule of Law in America.

Securing our southern border is non-negotiable. I will relentlessly pursue legal action against anyone aiding illegal immigration, target the cartels driving human and drug trafficking, and back law enforcement with every tool available. As a former senior Trump DOJ official, I am uniquely positioned to partner with the White House to accelerate operations that identify, arrest, detain, and deport illegal aliens. Restoring border security will protect Texas families, strengthen our economy, and preserve our state’s sovereignty.

I will root out corruption and stop far-left local governments from undermining Texas values. Rogue officials will be held accountable, radical policies blocked, and the far left prevented from steering our state into the ditch. By defending the Constitution and enforcing the rule of law, Texas will remain strong, free, and firmly grounded in the principles that built America.
I’m passionate about driving forward the America First Law-and-Order Agenda. That means securing our border and protecting Texas sovereignty, rooting out corruption wherever it hides, and stopping radical blue city and county governments from dragging Texas into the ditch. It means advancing the Constitution, restoring the rule of law, defending families, and protecting kids from the Left’s reckless experiments. At every turn, my focus is simple: keep Texas strong, free, safe, and firmly planted on conservative principles.
The Attorney General’s office is both a shield and a sword for Texas. I will defend our state from the radical left, enforce our laws, and protect Texas values proactively before they’re eroded.
It means using the law strategically to shape public policy, protect freedoms, and set legal precedents. I’ve done this as AG Paxton’s “offensive coordinator,” which is why I earned his full endorsement to succeed him.
I back law enforcement 100%. I will crack down on violent crime, prosecute corruption, and fight cartel-driven trafficking and immigration threatening Texas communities.
The AG must act as a legal firewall for Texas. I will defend the Constitution, hold criminals and corrupt officials accountable, and use every tool to stop the radical left from reshaping our state.
Absolutely. I will go on offense against bureaucratic and deep state overreach, protect Texas sovereignty, challenge unlawful mandates, and defend federalism—all while leveraging my experience as a former Trump DOJ official.
Experience matters. I’ve served as a Marine Officer, Attorney General Paxton’s Deputy, Chief of Staff to Senator Ted Cruz, and senior Trump DOJ executive. I bring proven leadership, real-world results, and the battle scars necessary to lead Texas’s Attorney General Office from Day One.
Core Book: Bible. Non-Fiction: Anything by Patrick Buchanan. Fiction: Starship Troopers or Blood Meridian. Film: Gladiator.
Courage, energy, integrity, and loyalty to the Constitution and Rule of Law. I keep my word, take bold stands for Texans, and make every decision grounded in law, limited government, God-given rights, and an America First, MAGA philosophy.
The Texas Attorney General must defend our Constitution and protect freedom. I will enforce state law, safeguard Texas sovereignty, and challenge lawbreakers everywhere they may be found. President Trump called me a “true MAGA attorney” and “warrior for our Constitution” for this very reason.
9/11 happened when I was a Freshman in High School, and it set me on a trajectory I hadn't considered till then: Service in the United States Marine Corps.
Major endorsements include: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, The National Border Patrol Council, Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC)
I stand with President Trump: no official is above the law. I will ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, public records remain open, and government accountability is enforced at every level.


You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:


Campaign advertisements

This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.


Republican Party Joan Huffman

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Joan Huffman while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.


Republican Party Mayes Middleton

Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Mayes Middleton while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.


Republican Party Aaron Reitz


View more ads here:


Republican Party Chip Roy


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Debates and forums

If you are aware of any debates, candidate forums, or other similar events where multiple candidates in this race participated, please email us.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.



Republican primary endorsements
Endorser Republican Party Joan Huffman Republican Party Mayes Middleton Republican Party Aaron Reitz Republican Party Chip Roy
Government officials
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R)  source      
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Keith Self (R)  source      
U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R)  source      
Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian (R)  source      
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R)  source      
Texas Railroad Commissioner James Wright (R)  source      
Individuals
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Royce Albrecht  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Christin Bentley  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Bruce Bishop  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Scott Bowen  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Chuck Burnett  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Tisha Crow  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Gaylyn Devine  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Brenda Estis  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Steve Evans  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Jerry Fisher  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Ralph Fite  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Susan Fountain  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Rolando Garcia  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Dale Gibble  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Paul Hale  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Brandon Hodges  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Dale Inman  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Deborah Kelting Fite  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Jon Ker  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Roman Klein  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Melissa Knerr  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Jeneria Lewis  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Dawn McDonald  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Ken Moore  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Milinda Morris  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Matthew Patrick  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Kelly Perry  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Randy Purham  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Jeremy Story  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Adolpho Telles  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Rhonda Ward  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Walter West  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Gwen Withrow  source      
Texas State Republican Executive Committee member Ed Zenner  source      
Organizations
Conservative Political Action Coalition  source      
Houston Police Officers’ Union  source      
National Border Patrol Council  source      
Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association  source      
The Remembrance Project Action  source      

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Polls are conducted with a variety of methodologies and have margins of error or credibility intervals.[19] The Pew Research Center wrote, "A margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level means that if we fielded the same survey 100 times, we would expect the result to be within 3 percentage points of the true population value 95 of those times."[20] For tips on reading polls from FiveThirtyEight, click here. For tips from Pew, click here.

Below we provide results for polls from a wide variety of sources, including media outlets, social media, campaigns, and aggregation websites, when available. We only report polls for which we can find a margin of error or credibility interval. Know of something we're missing? Click here to let us know.


Texas Attorney General election, 2026: Republican primary polls
PollDatesHuffmanMiddletonReitzRoyUndecidedSample sizeMargin of errorSponsor
Pulse Decision Science
Note

Candidate support in this poll was a combination of "definitely," "probably," and "lean" support combined.

131374027
800 LV
± 3.5%
Texans for Chip Roy
12384037
576 LV
± 4.1%
N/A
4433850
800 LV
± 3.5%
Texans for Chip Roy
8472458
473 LV
± 4.5%
Aaron Reitz for Attorney General
1287--73
1,500 LV
± 2.5%
N/A
Note: LV is likely voters, RV is registered voters, and EV is eligible voters.


Campaign finance

Candidate spending

The tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA. Transparency USA tracks loans separately from total contributions. View each candidates’ loan totals, if any, by clicking “View More” in the table below and learn more about this data here.

Satellite spending

See also: Satellite spending

Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[21][22][23]

If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.

Election analysis

Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.

  • Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
  • Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
  • State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
  • Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.


See also: Presidential voting trends in Texas and The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index

Cook PVI by congressional district

2024 presidential results by 2026 congressional district lines

2024 presidential results in congressional districts, Texas
District Kamala Harris Democratic Party Donald Trump Republican Party
Texas' 1st 26.6% 71.9%
Texas' 2nd 35.9% 62.0%
Texas' 3rd 37.5% 60.1%
Texas' 4th 37.5% 60.5%
Texas' 5th 39.6% 58.6%
Texas' 6th 37.2% 60.6%
Texas' 7th 63.9% 33.9%
Texas' 8th 39.3% 58.8%
Texas' 9th 46.6% 51.6%
Texas' 10th 39.9% 57.6%
Texas' 11th 33.1% 64.7%
Texas' 12th 38.9% 58.9%
Texas' 13th 26.0% 71.9%
Texas' 14th 37.4% 60.7%
Texas' 15th 51.4% 46.8%
Texas' 16th 68.1% 28.8%
Texas' 17th 39.7% 57.8%
Texas' 18th 81.2% 17.1%
Texas' 19th 25.4% 72.5%
Texas' 20th 68.7% 28.8%
Texas' 21st 38.6% 59.0%
Texas' 22nd 38.0% 60.0%
Texas' 23rd 44.8% 53.0%
Texas' 24th 39.2% 58.5%
Texas' 25th 40.4% 57.7%
Texas' 26th 36.9% 60.7%
Texas' 27th 39.1% 58.8%
Texas' 28th 60.6% 37.4%
Texas' 29th 71.8% 26.4%
Texas' 30th 77.0% 21.2%
Texas' 31st 37.7% 59.7%
Texas' 32nd 42.1% 55.7%
Texas' 33rd 71.0% 26.7%
Texas' 34th 51.7% 46.3%
Texas' 35th 46.7% 51.0%
Texas' 36th 39.4% 58.9%
Texas' 37th 78.8% 18.1%
Texas' 38th 37.5% 60.5%
Source: The Downballot

2016-2024

How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:


Following the 2024 presidential election, 41.8% of Texans lived in one of the state's 224 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2016 to 2024, and 41.6% lived in one of 11 Solid Democratic counties. Overall, Texas was Solid Republican, having voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016, Donald Trump (R) in 2020, and Donald Trump (R) in 2024. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Texas following the 2024 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.

Historical voting trends

Texas presidential election results (1900-2024)

  • 16 Democratic wins
  • 15 Republican wins
Year 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 2024
Winning Party D D D D D D D R D D D D D R R D D D R D R R R R R R R R R R R R

This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.

U.S. Senate elections

See also: List of United States Senators from Texas

The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Texas.

U.S. Senate election results in Texas
Race Winner Runner up
2024 53.1%Republican Party 44.6%Democratic Party
2020 53.5%Republican Party 43.9%Democratic Party
2018 50.9%Republican Party 48.3%Democratic Party
2014 61.6%Republican Party 34.4%Democratic Party
2012 56.5%Republican Party 40.7%Democratic Party
Average 55.1 42.4

Gubernatorial elections

See also: Governor of Texas

The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Texas.

Gubernatorial election results in Texas
Race Winner Runner up
2022 54.8%Republican Party 43.9%Democratic Party
2018 55.8%Republican Party 42.5%Democratic Party
2014 59.3%Republican Party 38.9%Democratic Party
2010 55.0%Republican Party 42.3%Democratic Party
2006 39.0%Republican Party 29.8%Democratic Party
Average 52.8 39.5
See also: Party control of Texas state government

Congressional delegation

The table below displays the partisan composition of Texas' congressional delegation as of October 2025.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Texas
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 12 12
Republican 2 25 27
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 1 1
Total 2 38 40

State executive

The table below displays the officeholders in Texas' top four state executive offices as of October 2025.

State executive officials in Texas, October 2025
Office Officeholder
Governor Republican Party Greg Abbott
Lieutenant Governor Republican Party Dan Patrick
Secretary of State Republican Party Jane Nelson
Attorney General Republican Party Ken Paxton

State legislature

Texas State Senate

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 11
     Republican Party 18
     Other 0
     Vacancies 2
Total 31

Texas House of Representatives

Party As of October 2025
     Democratic Party 62
     Republican Party 88
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 150

Trifecta control

Texas Party Control: 1992-2025
Three years of Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-three years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

The table below details demographic data in Texas and compares it to the broader United States as of 2023.

Demographic Data for Texas
Texas United States
Population 29,145,505 331,449,281
Land area (sq mi) 261,257 3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White 53.9% 63.4%
Black/African American 12.2% 12.4%
Asian 5.3% 5.8%
Native American 0.6% 0.9%
Pacific Islander 0.3% 0.4%
Other (single race) 8.6% 6.6%
Multiple 19.2% 10.7%
Hispanic/Latino 39.5% 19%
Education
High school graduation rate 85.7% 89.4%
College graduation rate 33.1% 35%
Income
Median household income $76,292 $78,538
Persons below poverty level 13.8% 12.4%
Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2018-2023).
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.


Texas Attorney General election history

2022

See also: Texas Attorney General election, 2022

General election

General election for Attorney General of Texas

Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated Rochelle Garza and Mark Ash in the general election for Attorney General of Texas on November 8, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton (R)
 
53.4
 
4,278,986
Image of Rochelle Garza
Rochelle Garza (D) Candidate Connection
 
43.7
 
3,497,267
Image of Mark Ash
Mark Ash (L)
 
2.9
 
233,750

Total votes: 8,010,003
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Attorney General of Texas

Rochelle Garza defeated Joe Jaworski in the Democratic primary runoff for Attorney General of Texas on May 24, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Rochelle Garza
Rochelle Garza Candidate Connection
 
62.7
 
305,168
Image of Joe Jaworski
Joe Jaworski Candidate Connection
 
37.3
 
181,744

Total votes: 486,912
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Attorney General of Texas

Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated George P. Bush in the Republican primary runoff for Attorney General of Texas on May 24, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton
 
68.0
 
633,223
Image of George P. Bush
George P. Bush
 
32.0
 
298,577

Total votes: 931,800
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas

Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski advanced to a runoff. They defeated Lee Merritt, Mike Fields, and S. T-Bone Raynor in the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 1, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Rochelle Garza
Rochelle Garza Candidate Connection
 
43.0
 
438,134
Image of Joe Jaworski
Joe Jaworski Candidate Connection
 
19.8
 
202,140
Image of Lee Merritt
Lee Merritt
 
19.4
 
198,108
Image of Mike Fields
Mike Fields Candidate Connection
 
12.3
 
125,373
S. T-Bone Raynor
 
5.5
 
55,944

Total votes: 1,019,699
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas

Incumbent Ken Paxton and George P. Bush advanced to a runoff. They defeated Eva Guzman and Louis B. Gohmert Jr. in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 1, 2022.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton
 
42.7
 
823,199
Image of George P. Bush
George P. Bush
 
22.8
 
439,240
Image of Eva Guzman
Eva Guzman Candidate Connection
 
17.5
 
337,761
Image of Louis B. Gohmert Jr.
Louis B. Gohmert Jr.
 
17.0
 
327,257

Total votes: 1,927,457
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Attorney General of Texas

Mark Ash advanced from the Libertarian convention for Attorney General of Texas on April 10, 2022.

Candidate
Image of Mark Ash
Mark Ash (L)

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: Texas Attorney General election, 2018

General election

General election for Attorney General of Texas

Incumbent Ken Paxton defeated Justin Nelson and Michael Ray Harris in the general election for Attorney General of Texas on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton (R)
 
50.6
 
4,193,207
Image of Justin Nelson
Justin Nelson (D)
 
47.0
 
3,898,098
Michael Ray Harris (L)
 
2.4
 
201,310

Total votes: 8,292,615
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas

Justin Nelson advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Justin Nelson
Justin Nelson

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas

Incumbent Ken Paxton advanced from the Republican primary for Attorney General of Texas on March 6, 2018.

Candidate
Image of Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Attorney General of Texas

Michael Ray Harris defeated Jamar Osborne in the Libertarian convention for Attorney General of Texas on April 15, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Michael Ray Harris (L)
 
90.4
 
236
Jamar Osborne (L)
 
9.6
 
25

Total votes: 261
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2014

See also: Texas attorney general election, 2014 Republican Ken Paxton won election on November 4, 2014.

Attorney General of Texas, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngKen Paxton 58.8% 2,742,646
     Democrat Sam Houston 38% 1,773,108
     Libertarian Jamie Balagia 2.5% 118,186
     Green Jamar Osborne 0.6% 29,590
Total Votes 4,663,530
Election results via Texas Secretary of State


Earlier results


Ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for attorney general candidates in Texas in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Texas, click here.

Filing requirements for Texas attorney general candidates, 2026
Partisan affiliation Method Filing fee Signatures required Filing deadline Source
Party-affiliated Filing fee $3,750.00 N/A 12/8/2025 1, 2
Petition N/A 5,000
Unaffiliated N/A 81,030[24] 1
Write-in N/A 5,000 8/17/2026 1
Filing fee $3,750.00 N/A

2026 battleground elections

See also: Battlegrounds

This is a battleground election. Other 2026 battleground elections include:

See also

Texas State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 The Texas Tribune, "U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, Paxton aide turned foe, to run for Texas attorney general," August 21, 2025
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Texas Tribune, "Cruz, Paxton issue dueling endorsements in Texas attorney general GOP primary," August 25, 2025
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Joan Huffman 2026 campaign website, "About," accessed October 13, 2025
  4. Joan Huffman 2026 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed October 13, 2025
  5. 5.0 5.1 Mayes Middleton 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 13, 2025
  6. Mayes Middleton 2026 campaign website, "Conservative Republican Mayes Middleton Announces Campaign for Texas Attorney General," April 15, 2025
  7. Mayes Middleton 2026 campaign website, "Endorsements," accessed October 13, 2025
  8. Texas Office of the Attorney General, "Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Con­grat­u­lates Aaron Reitz on Being Sworn in as Assis­tant Attor­ney Gen­er­al at the U.S. Depart­ment of Justice," March 31, 2025
  9. The Texas Tribune, "Aaron Reitz, former top DOJ official and Paxton aide, launches bid for Texas attorney general," June 12, 2025
  10. "Aaron Reitz 2026 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed October 13, 2025
  11. Aaron Reitz 2026 campaign website, "Home," accessed October 13, 2025
  12. Representative Chip Roy, "About," accessed October 13, 2025
  13. YouTube, "I'm running for Attorney General of Texas," October 13, 2025
  14. [1]
  15. [2]
  16. [3]
  17. [4]
  18. [5]
  19. For more information on the difference between margins of error and credibility intervals, see explanations from the American Association for Public Opinion Research and Ipsos.
  20. Pew Research Center, "5 key things to know about the margin of error in election polls," September 8, 2016
  21. OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
  22. OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
  23. National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
  24. The number of signatures required is equal to 1% of all votes cast in the 2022 Texas gubernatorial general election.