Texas primaries: Runoff race in GOP for a chance to succeed Ken Paxton as Attorney General

AUSTIN, Texas - The battle to succeed Ken Paxton as Texas Attorney General is moving to a high-stakes runoff election after Tuesday’s Texas primary results.

Texas Attorney General Primary Results

What we know:

Texas Senator Nathan Johnson secured the Democratic Party nomination outright, while on the Republican side, State Senator Mayes Middleton and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy advanced to a runoff after neither received enough votes to avoid a second round.

The Republican runoff will determine who faces Johnson in the November general election. The race is wide open as Attorney General Ken Paxton vacated the office to run for the U.S. Senate.

Mayes Middleton, Chip Roy and the GOP Runoff

Dig deeper:

Middleton, elected to the state Senate in 2023 after serving in the Texas House from 2019 to 2023, campaigned as a strong supporter of President Donald Trump’s agenda, calling himself "a steadfast ally of President Trump and a proven champion of the America First movement."

He finished among the top candidates in the Republican primary but did not secure a majority, forcing a runoff against U.S. Rep. Chip Roy.

Both candidates have emphasized conservative priorities including border security, law and order, and protecting constitutional rights, messaging that resonated strongly with Republican voters across Texas. 

The runoff is expected to draw attention as two notable conservative figures compete for the nomination.

Nathan Johnson on restoring integrity to the AG Office

AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 12: Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) speaks during a press conference after a group of Senate Democrats walked off the Senate floor as the redistricting bill was brought up on the agenda at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Tuesday, A

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The other side:

On the Democratic side, Nathan Johnson, a three-term state senator from Dallas, captured his party’s nomination without triggering a runoff.

Johnson’s campaign stressed restoring integrity and public service to the Texas Attorney General’s office, echoing concerns among Democratic voters about partisanship and governance in the state’s top legal office.

"Attorney General Ken Paxton has abused the office for his own personal and political interests and following orders to light destructive partisan fires. Under his control, the office has been corrupted and abused and debased, while its powers to do good have been wasted."

Road to November election

FILE - Voters leave the Park Tavern polling location after casting their ballots. (Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

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What's next:

Johnson now awaits the winner of the Republican runoff between Middleton and Roy. Once decided, the two nominees will face off in November to determine who will lead the Texas Attorney General’s office for the next four years.