AUSTIN, Texas — For the first time since 2014, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will not seek reelection to his current post, opting instead to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. His decision leaves the attorney general’s office open and has prompted a crowded field of candidates from both parties.

Seven candidates have entered the race.

In the Democratic primary, three contenders are seeking the nomination: Joe Jaworski, the former mayor of Galveston; Nathan Johnson, a state senator from Dallas; and Tony Box, a lawyer, former soldier, and former FBI agent. Each has made dissatisfaction with the current attorney general a central theme of his campaign.

Box, who vows to run the attorney general’s office in a non-political way, said, “People are really mad at Ken Paxton and the Republican Party, who’ve had control of the government for decades, and then they say well, Democrats are this and Democrats are that, but nonetheless, you’ve had control of the government.”

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Jaworski argued that Democrats should focus on their own agenda. “Number one is to not take the bait of the curve balls that the Republican politicians keep throwing, Sharia law, my foot. You know, men going into bathrooms. You know, this is all fear tactics, so that the Democrats don’t talk about their real agenda, which is the economy, which is affordability,” Jaworski said.

“The attorney general’s office is one of the most powerful offices, actually, in the whole country and we’re seen it utilized to great, destructive ends by Ken Paxton.” said Johnson, who promised to review all active lawsuits filed by Paxton’s office and get rid of some people in the office he says are there for “purely ideological” reasons.”

“It can be as powerfully good under the right leadership as it has been powerfully bad under Ken Paxton,” Johnson said

On the Republican side, four candidates are competing for the nomination and debated Tuesday night at an event hosted by the Republican Attorneys General Association. The candidates are U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, state Sen. Joan Huffman, Aaron Reitz, a former deputy attorney general under Paxton and former chief of staff to Sen. Ted Cruz, and state Sen. Mayes Middleton.

Middleton highlighted criticism he has faced during the campaign, saying, “I’m Mayes Middleton, and all you really need to know about me in this race is I’m the only one that’s been protested at the state capitol during this campaign. They have these big ugly green signs with my face on it and they call me the bathroom bigot.”

All four Republicans identify as conservatives and say they are prepared to succeed Paxton and align with former President Donald Trump. During the debate, they sought to distinguish themselves from one another.

Reitz said that while his opponents might focus on legislative records, “you’ll see a glaring absence of any real legal record.” Reitz highlighted his actions in the AG’s office. “My record litigating, investigating, suing, defending, and appealing on all the major issues we Republicans care about throughout the justice system sets me apart,” he said.

Among the top issues cited by Republican candidates are Sharia law, antisemitism, and immigration, reflecting themes that have recently dominated headlines in Texas politics.

Roy said, ” As Attorney General, I’ll be working to enforce those counties enforce the law and make sure that those counties do what they’re supposed to do on 280 17, and the last thing, declare an invasion.”

On immigration, Huffman touted the bills passed in her time in the state legislature. She told the audience the attorney general’s office would be prepared to defend conservative causes should the White House flip blue in 2028. “If there were another Democratic president, I would be ready on day one, because in two years, we would see it coming. “