A soldier-turned-FBI-agent-turned-lawyer is throwing his hat in the ring for the soon-to-be-open attorney general seat.
DALLAS — Tony Box, an Army veteran, former FBI agent and former federal prosecutor, announced Thursday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Texas attorney general.
Box, who lives in Dallas, said his campaign will focus on restoring integrity to an office he described as “plagued by corruption and political theater.” His candidacy follows AG Ken Paxton’s announcement of his run for U.S. Senate, leaving the position for Texas’ top lawyer open.
“The attorney general is the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Texas, and the people of this state deserve a leader who is looking out for them, not corrupt politicians and their cronies,” Box said in a statement. “Texans deserve better.”
Box’s professional background spans military service, law enforcement, and legal work. After graduating from Morehouse College, he served as an Army officer, including a deployment to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later worked as an FBI special agent, serving on the bureau’s SWAT team and investigating drug trafficking and major fraud cases. Box also served on the response team after the 9/11 attacks.
He went on to become an assistant U.S. attorney, handling cases involving tax evasion, fraud and violent crimes. He now practices law privately in Dallas, where he resides with his wife of more than 30 years. Box and his wife have three sons.
Box has said that a near-death experience as a teenager influenced his decision to pursue a career in public service. Box said while working at a grocery store in Chicago at 16, he was shot in the stomach after chasing down a purse-snatcher.
The primary election for Texas Attorney General is March 3, 2026, and Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026.