Texas GOP attorney general candidates bring hard hits, pitches during debate

AUSTIN, Texas - Battleground Texas took center stage Tuesday night in Dallas. A debate between the four republicans who want to replace outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The four Republicans in the attorney general's race have similar positions on most of the basic GOP issues. 

A lot of time was spent bashing front-runner Chip Roy. But the other challengers, Joan Huffman, Mayes Middleton and Aaron Reitz, made sure punches were thrown at each other. 

The final jabs and pitches for votes from the debate ranged from experience to a few personal slaps.

What happened during the debate?

What they're saying:

"I'm the only one in this race who's got the battle scars to prove and the war medals to demonstrate that I have been in this fight leading those troops into legal combat to deliver legal victories for our values, for our state, and our nation," said Aaron Reitz, who earlier in the debate was critical of Mayes Middleton’s knowledge of the law.

Legal experience was a big part of Joan Huffman's pitch for support.

"Because I've worked hard, because I've been effective, because I have real results, I have strong support from law enforcement, from prosecutors, from the victims' organizations across the state. They know me. They know Joan," said Huffman.

Chip Roy tossed out his share of political zingers during the debate and included a few in his closing pitch.

"I'm not a trust fund kid spending my family's money. I didn't get a precious Senate-confirmed slot, spend 70 days in the administration so I could ladder climb back home in Texas," said Roy in referencing Middleton and Reitz.

Middleton, like Reitz, has launched several critical ads targeting Roy. He did not let up in his closing statement.

"What we don't need is someone as an attorney general, like Chip Roy, who has spent 10 years fighting President Trump, defending Liz Cheney, calling us 'MAGA F-ers' and we could kiss his you-know-what if we didn't like it. We can't afford that in the AG's office," said Middleton.

Interview with Sen. John Cornyn 

Wednesday was day two of early voting. Those who were at the polls may have missed the verbal grenades thrown by Ken Paxton and John Cornyn. 

Paxton claimed Cornyn had not accomplished anything while in office and dismissed the attacks against him.

"I’m not surprised that John Cornyn is focused on personal things as opposed to what he has accomplished. Because you know what, he hasn’t accomplished anything," said Paxton in an interview with FOX 4’s Steven Dial.

Cornyn provided a long list of accomplishments at an event in Fort Worth, where he also attacked Paxton’s character. In an interview with FOX 4’s Steven Dial, Cornyn said he was happy to see that Paxton had decided to "come out of his basement" to campaign. 

Cornyn also addressed the criticism that he has been in the office for too long and explained the possibility of Ken Paxton as the nominee compelling him to run again.

"He says he doesn’t trust law enforcement. He sued DPS. Not a single law enforcement agency in Texas has endorsed him. I think there is a message there. There is a difference because I back the blue. When you nominate a flawed individual, you are risking all that. You are risking a senate seat. President Trump's agenda," said Cornyn.

What's next:

The third Republican in that primary, Wesley Hunt, was making stops in east Texas Wednesday. He continued to be critical of Cornyn’s record in the Senate. Hunt also pushed back on the Cornyn campaign ads that question his voting record and his loyalty to President Trump.

On the Democrat side, Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett spent the day preparing for a swing through North Texas on Thursday. Her primary with James Talarico has heated up. 

A spokesperson for Talarico told FOX 7 that Crockett's claim on Tuesday that Talarico taught only in a charter is not true. Talarico, according to his campaign, taught at Rhodes Middle School and Westside-San Antonio. 

More ads in the Democratic Senate Primary are expected, with Talarico claiming a $2 million haul in donations in response to the Colbert Show interview controversy. Crockett, on Tuesday, said she anticipated the situation would give him a boost.