Senator Ted Cruz’s endorsement of Representative Chip Roy for Texas Attorney General on Saturday, August 23, 2025, has sent ripples through the state’s Republican ranks, setting the stage for a fiercely contested primary to succeed outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton. Cruz’s support, delivered in a statement brimming with personal anecdotes and political conviction, signals the deep trust and camaraderie between the two Texas conservatives—and adds a dramatic twist to an already crowded race for the state’s top law enforcement post.
“I am proud to endorse Chip Roy for Attorney General of Texas. As my very first chief of staff, Chip has been a close friend and ally of mine for over 12 years. We have been in more fights together than I can count, and I know Chip will always, always, always fight for conservative values,” Cruz declared, as reported by The Hill and echoed across multiple outlets. The senator’s praise didn’t stop there. “With over two decades of dedicated service to Texas, Chip has consistently shown the courage, integrity, and conviction required to defend our great state. He is a battle-tested warrior and a fierce defender of the Constitution,” Cruz continued, according to Fox News and the Tampa Free Press.
Roy, who formally launched his campaign on Thursday, August 21, 2025, is seeking to fill the vacuum left by Paxton, who has held the attorney general seat since 2014 but is now running for U.S. Senate against incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Roy’s candidacy is not without competition: state Senators Joan Huffman and Mayes Middleton, along with Aaron Reitz—a former Trump administration official and Paxton aide—have all entered the Republican primary. Yet Cruz’s endorsement instantly made Roy a frontrunner, underscoring the powerful alliances and rivalries that define Texas politics.
Roy’s credentials are extensive. Since 2019, he has represented Texas’s 21st Congressional District in the U.S. House, where he has become known as a vocal member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Before his time in Congress, Roy’s résumé included stints as a federal prosecutor, First Assistant Attorney General under Ken Paxton, chief of staff to Cruz, senior counsel to former Governor Rick Perry, and staff director for the Senate Judiciary Committee under Senator Cornyn. As The Hill and Fox News both noted, this rich tapestry of experience has positioned Roy as a seasoned legal and political operative—one who, according to Cruz, is “uniquely equipped to lead the Office of the Texas Attorney General.”
In his campaign launch, Roy made clear his priorities and vision for the office. “Texans’ next attorney general must have a proven record of fighting to preserve, protect, and defend our legacy,” Roy declared in a campaign video shared on X (formerly Twitter), as reported by Fox News. He pledged to focus on border security, law enforcement support, election integrity, and limiting foreign influence over Texas land and assets. “Texas has a long and proud tradition of rising to defend our homes, our freedom, and our communities,” Roy stated. “I’m running for Attorney General to carry on that legacy… unafraid to fight, unafraid to win, and unafraid to defend Texas at every turn. #LiveFree.”
Roy’s campaign comes at a time of transition and tension within the Texas GOP. The attorney general’s seat is open for the first time in over a decade, and the field is brimming with conservative contenders. Cruz, for his part, praised the depth of the Republican bench: “There are several excellent candidates right now in the race for Texas Attorney General. All of them are friends of mine, and all of them have been strong supporters of mine for many, many years. Texas is blessed to have an abundance of strong conservatives stepping forward to lead, in such a time as this,” the senator remarked, according to Fox News and the Tampa Free Press. Still, Cruz made it clear that Roy stood out: “There is no one better equipped to lead the Office of the Texas Attorney General, and I know that he will ferociously fight and protect the Lone Star State.”
Roy’s relationship with Cruz is central to his campaign narrative. The two have been close allies for over a dozen years, sharing both political battles and personal loyalty. “We have been in more fights together than I can count, and I know Chip will always, always, always fight for conservative values,” Cruz emphasized. Roy, for his part, has not shied away from controversy or confrontation. In 2020, he called for Paxton’s resignation amid bribery allegations—a move that set him apart from many in his party, as reported by The Hill.
Roy’s campaign messaging is steeped in the language of defense and vigilance. “Texas is under assault – from open-border politicians, radical leftists and faceless foreign corporations that threaten our sovereignty, safety and our way of life,” Roy said in a statement covered by Fox News. “It’s time to draw a line in the sand. As Attorney General, I will fight every single day for our God-given rights, for our families and for the future of Texas.”
His decision to run for attorney general marks a shift from his role in Congress. “It has been my honor to represent the 21st Congressional District of Texas — the best part of the best state in the greatest country in the history of the world. But representatives should not be permanent,” Roy reflected in his launch announcement. He cited his experience during the Hill Country floods and his desire to “come home” as motivations for returning to Texas public service. “I want to take my experience in Congress, as a federal prosecutor, and as First Assistant Attorney General to fight for Texas from Texas,” he added.
The race for Texas Attorney General is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched contests in the 2026 cycle. While Roy’s conservative credentials and Cruz’s backing give him a formidable platform, his rivals—Huffman, Middleton, and Reitz—are all well-connected and experienced in their own right. Cruz’s statement acknowledged this, calling them “excellent candidates” and “strong conservatives.” Yet, the senator’s unequivocal endorsement of Roy, coupled with their shared history, may prove decisive in the months ahead.
One notable absence from the endorsement fray is former President Donald Trump. Despite Roy’s record of supporting much of Trump’s agenda—and even drawing the former president’s ire at times over fiscal disagreements—Trump has not yet weighed in on the Texas attorney general race, as noted by The Hill and Fox News. This leaves the field open for further shifts in alliances and momentum as the campaign unfolds.
As Texas Republicans look to the future, the contest to replace Ken Paxton promises to be a defining moment for the party’s direction and priorities. With Chip Roy’s candidacy now turbocharged by Cruz’s endorsement, the battle for the Lone Star State’s top legal office is set to be as spirited—and consequential—as any in recent memory.
