As 2026 draws nearer, one race to keep a close eye on for the upcoming March 3rd primary is the race for Texas Attorney General. 

For the first time in more than a decade, there is an opening in the statewide office. Ken Paxton is running for U.S. Senate and will leave the Texas Attorney General's Office at the end of his term at the end of next year.

In all, seven candidates are running for this seat. They include four Republicans: State Senator Joan Huffman of Houston, State Senator Mayes Middleton of Galveston, former Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Justice Department, Aaron Reitz, and Central Texas Congressman Chip Roy. 

The winner of this primary will face the winning Democratic candidate: either attorney and former FBI agent Tony Box, former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski, or State Senator Nathan Johnson of Dallas.

The most recent poll of the Republican primary, conducted by the University of Houston and Texas Southern University in October, showed Roy with a significant lead at 40%, followed by Huffman with 12%, Reitz with 8%, and Middleton with 3%. 

Senator Ted Cruz has endorsed Roy, while Reitz received the backing of Paxton. Twelve-time NCAA All-American swimmer Riley Gaines has endorsed Middleton and former Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety Steve McCraw. 

CBS News Texas interviewed all four candidates and asked about their campaigns and why they're the best option for voters. 

Campaign messaging

The first question was about the essence of their campaign. 

Huffman said, "As I look at the AG, Paxton has done a good in many respects, kind of fighting against federal overreach, defending our liberties. But I would like to see the office really use every tool, every resource to implement all the laws available to keep Texans safe. I would really like to develop the law enforcement side of the office." 

"When you look at our state, you look at the transnational crimes, interstate crimes, whether it's human trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, a lot of scams on the vulnerable, like veterans and the elderly, Medicaid fraud," Huffman continued. "I think that part of the office is not being developed and used in the way that it should. I would really focus on that. Of course, as I said, doing the important functions of the office, like the child support division and all that kind of the things the job that that the AG has to do. But I think there's other things we can do to really enhance the office."

Middleton said, "So this is a calling for me, not a job. I give away the salary like our President does. I reject the pension. I reject the health care. I don't take the state license plate. I don't take the lobbyist NFL tickets. I don't take the lobbyist ski trips. I'm only here to serve and fight for the conservative values that we believe in. I have that proven conservative record. So, I got elected to the House in 2018. I actually beat an incumbent to do that. I was Chairman of the Freedom Caucus after that."

Middleton also mentioned his previous endorsement from President Trump, "Then in 2022, I ran for Senate, and President Trump endorsed me in that race. He said my conservative record was second to none. Ever since day one in office, I've been ranked as one of the top one or two most conservative members, either in the Texas House and the Texas Senate. I've delivered on those promises that I made, and this is a show me, don't tell me business, and I can show you the conservative results." 

Reitz said, "I most recently came from the Presidentially appointed Senate-confirmed role as the head of the Office of Legal Policy at DOJ. When President Trump nominated me back in December, he said, Aaron Reitz is a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution. Now, I've been involved in the legal arena, in the legal and political battles of this state for many, many years. I know that Texans want and Texans deserve exactly that. A true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution. That's why I'm in this race and that's the theme of my campaign." 

When asked how he defines MAGA attorney, Reitz said, "I think it's somebody who has the battle scars to prove that he has been litigating, investigating, suing, defending and appealing on all of the major issues that are helping to make America Great again, whether that's border security, election integrity, free speech, religious liberty, unleashing American energy, oil and gas, blocking the predations of the radical left in our schools, and in higher education. All of these thematic legal issues I have worked on and been in legal combat in a law fair environment. So, that's what makes me uniquely qualified for this position."

Roy, said, "I feel like the good Lord has given me the skill set at this unique time in Texas history and American history to serve as Attorney General. I was a former federal prosecutor in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, was a prosecutor in Plano and Sherman, and I lived in McKinney. I was the former First Assistant Attorney General. I know how the office works. I've had to put my signature on all the court filings and lead the office alongside the attorney general." 

Roy emphasized that he is what Texas needs in an attorney general, "We need a strong attorney general with a proven track record, a conservative, someone who knows the job on day one. Someone who's respected around the country, whether they agree with me or not because they know that I'll stand up and fight. Texas needs a leader right now. In the office of the attorney general, going forward to carry that great legacy forward, but defend Texas against the onslaught that's coming against it at the border, criminals being put on our streets in our cities, the advance of Sharia law, the extent to which we have the 'over-corporate-ification' of our state and a lot of issues. The AG's office is front and center."

The best choice for Republican primary voters

Our next question was why they believe Republican primary voters should select them over the other candidates. 

Huffman said, "I'll go back to my experience and my qualifications. I have been in the Senate a long time. They could look at my record. I have a very conservative voting record. I am a conservative. My focus has been on law and order and fiscal matters. I've always been very supportive. As I said, shepherd many of the big pieces of legislation through. I wrote the first voter ID bill, and we care very much as Republicans; Texans care about election integrity. I wrote the first voter ID bill that stood up in court. As chair of State Affairs, I shepherded all of the big Second Amendment bills through, State Affairs, the campus carry, open carry, and later, of course, I was not the chair anymore, but we passed constitutional carry, and I helped bring law enforcement in and helped with the legal issues that sort of brought that across the finish line because there was some push back in the state." 

"But now we've seen it," Huffman continued. "It has done nothing to hurt any Texan that I can see and just has enforced our constitutional rights. But it was that kind of background and experience that I have that was able to push and the conservative issues and legislation that is very important to the Republican primary voter.

"I can tell you two things," Middleton said. "Number one is record. I can promise you this: I am the only one in this race that has been protested at the Texas Capitol. So, about two months ago, they had these ugly green signs with my face on it and these red X's through my eyes. They called me the bathroom bigot, and they were chanting in the rotunda. They were screaming. They were yelling. Why? Because I don't want a man in my little girl's restroom or locker room or shower. The reason why I'm the only one that's been protested in this race for attorney general is because I'm already beating the left." 

Middleton said he's "stopping the 'what is the woke mind virus'. I'll call it that because these are common-sense things that I'm fighting for. I want to make sure that Texas is the safest state in America to live and raise a family. That is my goal."

"Because I'm the only one in this race with a record that is relevant, and battle tested to the position for which we're applying," Reitz said. "Article four, section 22 of the Texas Constitution says the attorney general shall represent the state of Texas in all courts and pleas. This is a legal executive branch law enforcement job. It is not a legislative job. My three opponents are legislators, some better than others. I like them; they're nice people. I don't have any beef, personal beef or political beef, with my three legislative opponents, but their experience pales in comparison to the experience that I bring to the table litigating, investigating, suing, defending, and appealing on all of the major issues that Texans really care about. That's what sets me apart." 

Reitz further elaborated on his past experiences, saying, "It's why I served in the senior ranks at the Justice Department. It's why I served as Senator Ted Cruz's right-hand man. It's why I was Attorney General Ken Paxton's deputy. It's why Attorney General Paxton unequivocally endorsed me to succeed him. He didn't mince words when he endorsed me. He didn't say, oh, the other opponents in this race are nice people and would do a serviceable job, but on the margins, I like Aaron the most. No, he said, Aaron Wright is the only qualified candidate in this race and must be the pick for the next attorney general."

Roy said, "It's hard to have a more solid conservative voting record than I have with scores from all of the major groups that are either number one or top couple in the entire United States Congress and among, frankly, all elected leaders. That's ranging across the issues, whether you're talking cultural issues like life or guns, whether you're talking about limited government freedom or, frankly, adherence to the Trump agenda and the GOP platform. I'm ranked number one in the state of Texas, number two in the entire House,  number five out of everybody. When you add up the Senate and the House in terms of following the Republican platform and my votes, standing up in defense of it. Number two, you need somebody who's actually held elected office."

Reitz compared his second point to one of his opponents, saying, "We've got at least one candidate who's never been elected as much as a dogcatcher. I think you need someone who has been there, been in the cauldron, put his or her name out there in front of the people, and has had to stand up to the scrutiny of having an election certificate representing Texans. I have multiple times over, and I think you need somebody who's been in the courtroom. We've got at least one or two candidates who really haven't been in a courtroom. I've been a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's office. I've been the First Assistant Attorney General. Sitting alongside our lawyers in our counsels, defending the state of Texas and having to put my name out there in defense of the state." 

Attorney general job changes

We also asked them if the job of attorney general changes if there's a Democrat in the White House.

"I think it is true," Huffman said. "If we look at our past history that when Obama was President and President Biden, the state was more involved with filing suits against the federal government and so forth because of policies that we felt were hurting Texans. And if I felt there was a President who was implementing policies that were bad for Texas, then I would sue him as well. President Trump seems to look at Texas in a more favorable light, clearly than some of the previous Presidents have. And so, we don't see at this point Paxton filing the suits at the same rate. But the truth is, no matter who the President is, that certainly there can be federal overreach that the federal government clearly is a huge bureaucracy with many, many agencies that sometimes step on Texans' toes. No matter who's the President, if things can happen that still Texans need to be protected from, that would be my job. I would push back."

Middleton said, "We have an incredible President right now, President Trump in the White House. He's helping Texas secure our border, lock-up criminals, all the things that we need to have happen to keep our state the safest and most prosperous in America because it's Texas exceptionalism. I believe in that. We're the most exceptional state in America. Period, the end. That changes a lot depending on who's in the White House, where we have to point those guns, and devote our time and resources, especially in the attorney general's office. Right now, we're in good hands. But just less than a year ago, we were not." 

"The 10th Amendment is one of the most important tools in that states' rights, federalism is supposed to work that way. It's how it's supposed to work," said Middleton. "We need to make sure that we devote every resource and tool in the AG's office if we have a bad liberal Democrat President that is attacking our state. We saw Biden attack Texas. Whether that was opening the border or going after, for example, the oil and gas industry or going after law and order just outright, the things that he did were designed to hurt Texas and hurt our values. As AG, I will fight back with every resource and tool in that office to defend our great state and defend the values that it was based on and we were founded on."

Reitz said, "God forbid, a Republican loses, and we have a Democrat in the White House. What Texas wants, what Texas needs, is to have a state Attorney General who is going to oppose the efforts and the agenda of a far left wing Democratic administration, which we know from experience under both Obama and Biden, is going to do everything possible to turn Texas into something that it's not, to force Texas to become something that it doesn't want to be. They're going to do it by executive fiat." 

"So, you need somebody in this race who is prepared to litigate against a hostile Democratic administration in 2028," said Reitz. "If they do take the White House, and I hope that they don't, I don't think that they will, but I think that in that first two years, that America First law and order agenda is going to manifest itself in several different ways. It's going to be helping the Trump administration expedite its mass deportation operations. It's going to be going against fighting against the radical left that is going to try to enforce and shove down the throats of K-12 education and in higher education, this delusional notion that there are biological sexes other than male and female." 

Roy told CBS News Texas, "Well, by definition, it will change in the sense that the Attorney General is responsible for defending the laws of Texas, but also defending Texas against the long arm of the federal government. If it's interfering with Texas under our Constitution, we've got a great track record in history under Ken Paxton, under Greg Abbott. Going all the way back, we've had strong leadership pushing back on intrusive federal government. That is more true from my perspective." 

"If you have a President like Joe Biden, we obviously have wildly different views," said Roy. "The current President is much more in line with our way of thinking in Texas. So, there are fewer reasons you have to challenge the federal government, but you still do. By the way, there's still lawsuits. There are still things that go on where you've got to deal with legacy laws; legacy issues defend the state of Texas, and it's important to do that. So, that stays consistent. It's just a much greater effort when you've got a President that's at odds with your state."  

Key dates

Here are some key dates for the March 3rd primary: 

• The last day to register to vote is Monday, Feb. 2. 
• The last day to apply for a mail ballot is Friday, Feb. 20, and it has to be received by then, not postmarked. 
• Early voting begins Tuesday, Feb. 17 and ends Friday, Feb. 27.   

Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday mornings on CBS News Texas on air and streaming.

Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack 

This week's full episode can be found below: