Trinity Hewtty
Editor-In-Chief
The Texas attorney general is the state’s chief legal officer and is elected statewide to a four-year term. The attorney general represents the state of Texas in legal matters, provides legal advice to state agencies and officials, and defends Texas laws in state and federal courts. The office also enforces consumer protection laws, oversees child support enforcement and may issue formal legal opinions interpreting state law.
The attorney general plays a key role in multistate lawsuits, challenges to federal policies, and litigation involving the Texas Constitution.
To qualify for the office, a candidate must be at least 31 years old, a U.S. citizen, a qualified Texas voter, and have lived in Texas for at least 12 consecutive months before the election. Candidates must also be licensed to practice law in Texas.
Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is not seeking re-election, instead running for the U.S. Senate seat.
There are eight candidates running for this office. The Mesquite chose the strongest candidates based on polling data and campaign funding.
Here is an overview of the top two candidates on the ballot for the Texas Attorney General:
Chip Roy (Republican)
Chip Roy is a husband, father, and lifelong Texan serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. In Congress, Roy serves on the Rules, Budget, and Judiciary Committees and chairs the Subcommittee on the Constitution. He is also the policy director of the House Freedom Caucus, where he has developed a reputation as a policy-driven leader focused on constitutional principles.
Policy Stances:
- Advocates for protecting Texas property, lands, and culture.
- Supports stronger border security and measures to prevent illegal immigration.
- Promotes healthcare freedom, including limiting federal overreach in medical policy.
- Prioritizes veterans’ services and benefits.
- Backs law enforcement and efforts to make communities safe, including reining in activist judges and district attorneys.
- Supports election security measures to ensure integrity in voting.
- Opposes what he describes as the “woke agenda,” emphasizing limited government and constitutional governance.
- Advocates fiscal responsibility and policies aimed at reducing government spending.
Nathan Johnson (Democratic)
Nathan Johnson is from Dallas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Arizona and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Johnson practices law at Thompson Coburn LLP, where he specializes in trial litigation and dispute resolution. He was first elected in 2018 and has become a leading voice on health care policy, the electric grid, government transparency, criminal justice reform, and state infrastructure.
Policy Stances:
- Supports using the attorney general’s office to challenge MAGA-aligned policies he says undermine democracy and the economy.
- Advocates strong consumer protections to reduce costs for Texans.
- Emphasizes professionalism and effective public service within the attorney general’s office.
- Supports investigating and prosecuting political corruption regardless of party affiliation.
- Prioritizes public safety through cooperation with district attorneys.
- Supports a secure border while preserving state sovereignty.
