Texas Picks a New Attorney General Tuesday. Here Is What Middleton, Johnson and Oxford Promise

For the first time in more than a decade, Ken Paxton's name will not be on the ballot for Texas attorney general. Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, and on Tuesday voters will choose who takes over one of the most powerful offices in state government.

The choices are Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas and Libertarian Tom Oxford, a Jefferson County lawyer.

Why the office matters

The attorney general's office has more than 4,000 employees and 750 lawyers, according to The Texas Tribune. It enforces child support judgments, goes after waste and fraud in government programs, and investigates deceptive charities, dishonest businesses and fraudulent billing. It defends state agencies and laws in court and issues opinions interpreting state law.

Under Paxton, the office also became a leading force in conservative litigation, including lawsuits against the Biden administration, tech companies and big business. The office remains active this fall, including in a lawsuit against the Harris County clerk over voting ads.

Mayes Middleton, Republican

Middleton has been a state senator since 2023 and served in the Texas House from 2019 to 2023. He is president of Middleton Oil Company, a family business, and a University of Texas law graduate. He calls himself a "steadfast ally of President Trump."

He says he would aggressively enforce the president's border security agenda and deportation orders, uphold the state's anti-abortion laws, protect oil and gas jobs and keep "foreign adversaries" from buying Texas property. He wants the attorney general's office empowered to prosecute any violation of state law, including election crimes. Texas courts have said those cases belong to local prosecutors, the Tribune noted.

"We need to make sure that we enforce our ban on sanctuary cities," Middleton said in a social media clip quoted by Houston Public Media. He did not respond to that outlet's interview request.

His endorsements include Texas Eagle Forum, the True Texas Project and Conservative Republicans of Texas, along with Republican legislators such as Sen. Brent Hagenbuch and Rep. Briscoe Cain.

Nathan Johnson, Democrat

Johnson has served in the Texas Senate since 2019, representing part of Dallas County, and works as a litigator and mediator. He says he has passed 134 bills since 2019 and touts his record of working across the aisle.

He says he would sue the federal government over border tactics that violate the Constitution, enforce consumer protection and competition laws, investigate officials "irrespective of political party," and cooperate with local district attorneys rather than seek more prosecuting power. He also wants to reinvest in basic functions such as child support collection and legal opinions.

"My priority is to rebuild the attorney general's office with an ethical dedication to public service, get rid of the corrupt atmosphere," Johnson told Houston Public Media. He criticized Middleton for voting to acquit Paxton at his impeachment trial.

Johnson's endorsements include Democratic U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Veronica Escobar, Julie Johnson and Marc Veasey, the Texas AFL-CIO and Texas AFT.

Tom Oxford, Libertarian

Oxford owns Oxford Law PLLC in Jefferson County and has practiced law since 1982 in personal injury, immigration and civil rights. He has argued cases before the Texas Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit. His campaign reported raising $394, all in-kind, through June 30.

Money and the polls

Middleton has raised about $25 million this year, compared with nearly $3 million for Johnson, Houston Public Media reported. Middleton has put about $18 million of his own money into his campaign since 2025, much of it during a hard-fought primary.

A University of Houston Hobby School poll released Oct. 19 had Middleton at 47%, Johnson at 42% and Oxford at 3%. Rice University's Mark Jones said 50% of likely voters knew enough about Middleton to have an opinion of him, compared with 29% for Johnson.

"That would be a political earthquake," Jones said of a Johnson win, noting that a Democrat has not held the office in almost 30 years.

Before you vote

The attorney general is not a ceremonial post. The winner will decide which lawsuits Texas files, how hard the state pursues fraud and how child support is collected for four years. Read each candidate's own words, pray over the choice and vote your conscience. The court races further down the ballot deserve the same care.