The 2026 Texas Attorney General election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the attorney general of Texas. Incumbent Republican attorney general Ken Paxton declined to seek re-election to a fourth term, running for the U.S. senate against incumbent John Cornyn in the primary, and Democratic nominee James Talarico in the general election. Primary elections were held on March 3, and primary runoffs were held on May 26. Republicans nominated State Senator Mayes Middleton, while the Democrats nominated state senator Nathan Johnson.
Republican primary
Campaign The Republican primary was heavily contested this was the first race since 2014 which did not feature an incumbent and Republicans have won every Attorney General election since 1998. The primary ultimately consisted of State Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman, Congressman Chip Roy, and former DOJ employee Aaron Reitz. None of the candidate reached 50% in the primary resulting in a runoff between Middleton and Roy. The race became notable for the amount of money being raised and spent on a down ballot race. Each candidate tried to make themselves out as the most conservative option and accused their opponents of being "Republican in Name Only". Middleton ultimately won the campaign by aligning himself completely with the Trump administration, branding himself "MAGA Mayes Middleton".
Candidates Nominee Mayes Middleton, state senator from the 11th district (2023–present) Eliminated in runoff Chip Roy, U.S. representative from (2019–present)
Eliminated in primary Joan Huffman, state senator from the 17th district (2008–present) Aaron Reitz, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy (2025) (endorsed Middleton in the runoff)
Withdrawn John Bash, former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas (2017–2020)
Declined Brian Harrison, state representative from the 10th district (2021–present) and candidate for in 2021 (running for re-election) Bryan Hughes, state senator from the 1st district (2017–present) Eric Johnson, mayor of Dallas (2019–present) Mitch Little, state representative from the 65th district (2025–present) (running for re-election) Ken Paxton, incumbent attorney general (running for U.S. Senate, endorsed Reitz) Matt Rinaldi, former chair of the Texas Republican Party (2021–2024) and former state representative from the 115th district (2015–2019)
Endorsements
Fundraising Campaign finance Reports as of December 31, 2025CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handJoan Huffman (R)$512,017$865,632$2,718,093Mayes Middleton (R)$11,819,827$7,133,607$5,098,210Aaron Reitz (R)$1,658,444$1,045,705$2,953,221Chip Roy (R)$4,500,000$1,224,264$4,272,044Source: Texas Ethics Commission Debates and forums
2026 Texas Attorney General Republican primary debates Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Huffman Middleton Reitz Roy 1 February 17, 2026 Republican Attorneys General Association Allie Beth Stuckey WFAAPPPP
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin JoanHuffman MayesMiddleton AaronReitz ChipRoy Other UndecidedBlueprint Polling (D)February 23–24, 2026529 (LV)± 5.3%11%26%11%30%3%19%UT TylerFebruary 13–22, 2026– (LV)–21%26%9%36%–8%– (RV)21%27%10%34%–University of Texas/Texas Politics ProjectFebruary 2–16, 2026292 (LV)± 5.7%9%38%5%40%8%–University of Houston/YouGovJanuary 20–31, 2026550 (LV)± 4.2%13%23%6%33%–25%Pulse Decision Science (R)December 14–17, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%10%9%6%49%–26%Pulse Decision Science (R)November 2–5, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%13%13%7%40%–27%University of Houston/Texas Southern UniversitySeptember 19 – October 1, 2025576 (RV)± 4.1%12%3%8%40%–37%co/efficient (R)August 27–30, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%8%4%7%24%–58%Pulse Decision Science (R)August 27–30, 2025800 (LV)± 3.5%4%4%3%38%–50%Texas Southern UniversityAugust 6–12, 20251,500 (LV)± 2.5%12%8%7%––73%
Results
Runoff
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MayesMiddleton ChipRoy Other UndecidedUniversity of HoustonApril 28 – May 1, 20261,200 (LV)± 2.83%48%39%–13%
Results
Democratic primary
Campaign State Senator Nathan Johnson was the first Democratic candidate to enter the race and soon became the front runner in fundraising and number of endorsements. He was joined by Joe Jaworkski who had sought the Democratic nomination in 2022 and former FBI agent Tony Box. None of the candidates reached 50% in the primary resulting in a runoff between Johnson and Jaworski. Jaworski ran as the progressive candidate and criticized Johnson for his voting history in the Senate in which he voted for several Republican priority bills. Johnson presented himself as a candidate who can win elections.
Candidates Nominee Nathan Johnson, state senator from the 16th district (2019–present) Eliminated in runoff Joe Jaworski, former mayor of Galveston, grandson of former U.S. Department of Justice special counsel Leon Jaworski, and candidate for attorney general in 2022
Eliminated in primary Tony Box, attorney
Declined Joaquin Castro, U.S. representative from Texas's 20th congressional district (2013–present) (running for re-election) Jasmine Crockett, U.S. representative from Texas’s 30th congressional district (2023–present) (ran for U.S. Senate) Roland Gutierrez, state senator from the 19th district (2021–present) and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 (running for re-election) Justin Nelson, partner at Susman Godfrey and nominee for attorney general in 2018
Endorsements
Fundraising +Campaign finance Reports as of December 31, 2025CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handTony Box (D)$137,602$87,897$27,548Joe Jaworski (D)$219,882$166,693$249,986Nathan Johnson (D)$652,819$349,080$757,681Source: Texas Ethics Commission
Debates and forums
2026 Texas Attorney General Democratic primary debates Date Host Moderator Link Participants Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Box Jaworski Johnson 1 January 22, 2026 Richardson Area Democrats James Barragan YouTubeAPP
First round Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error TonyBox JoeJaworski NathanJohnson Other UndecidedUT TylerFebruary 13–22, 2026– (LV)–25%32%35%–8%– (RV)26%31%34%–9%University of Texas/Texas Politics ProjectFebruary 2–16, 2026183 (LV)± 7.2%10%52%28%11%–University of Houston/YouGovJanuary 20–31, 2026550 (LV)± 4.2%13%22%25%–40%Slingshot Strategies (D)January 14–21, 20261,290 (LV)± 3.7%2%5%10%5%78%Texas Southern UniversityDecember 9–11, 20251,600 (LV)± 2.5%3%21%19%–57%Texas Southern UniversityAugust 6–12, 20251,500 (LV)± 2.5%–20%20%–60%
Results
Runoff Results
Third-party and independent candidates Candidates Declared Tom Oxford (Libertarian), attorney and perennial candidate
Disqualified Omer Wagas Khwaja (Independent)
General election Predictions SourceRankingAs of Sabato's Crystal Ball August 20, 2026
Fundraising Campaign finance reports as of September 24, 2026CandidateRaisedSpentCash on handMayes Middleton (R)$4,283,027$3,589,360$2,126,700Nathan Johnson (D)$1,449,616$526,403$1,020,213Source: Texas Ethics Commission
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error MayesMiddleton (R) NathanJohnson (D) Other UndecidedStratus Intelligence (R)September 22–24, 2026865 (LV)±3.5%47%42%11%Texas Public Opinion ResearchSeptember 19–22, 20261,007 (LV)±3.6%46%43%3%9%Texas Southern UniversitySeptember 15–19, 20261,800 (LV)±2.3%47%42%2%9%ReconMR/Siena UniversitySeptember 8–11, 2026614 (LV)±4.3%45%44%2%8%Texas Public Opinion ResearchAugust 21–24, 20261,000 (LV)±3.3%44%41%5%10%University of Texas/Texas Politics ProjectAugust 5–13, 20261,200 (RV)±2.83%40%35%4%21%Texas A&M University/ReconMR/Siena UniversityJuly 27–30, 2026619 (LV)±4.7%46%44%10%Texas Southern UniversityJuly 27–30, 20261,200 (LV)±2.8%46%41%3%10%Texas Public Opinion ResearchJuly 15–17, 20261,048 (LV)± 3.4%39%38%5%18%University of Texas/YouGovJune 5–12, 20261,200 (RV)± 3.47%41%36%6%18%Texas A&M University/ReconMRJune 1–4, 2026807 (LV)± 4%45%40%4%11%Texas Public Opinion ResearchMay 27–28, 20261,670 (LV)± 2.8%44%39%4%13%
Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Mayes Middletonor Chip Roy (R) Joe Jaworskior Nathan Johnson (D) Other UndecidedSlingshot Strategies (D)April 17–20, 20261,018 (LV)± 3.3%45%39%2%15%
Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican GenericDemocrat Other UndecidedTexas Public Opinion ResearchAugust 27–29, 2025843 (RV)± 4.6%47%44%9%–
Post-primary endorsements
Results
Notes
Partisan clients
See also 2026 United States attorney general elections
References
External links Official campaign websites Nathan Johnson (D) Mayes Middleton (R)