With early voting set to begin on May 18, Texas Republicans are gearing up for a high-stakes runoff to decide who will represent the party in the November race for state Attorney General. The contest pits State Senator Mayes Middleton from District 11 against U.S. Representative Chip Roy of the 21st District, both of whom have spent the past several weeks crisscrossing the state, drawing sharp contrasts and rallying their bases ahead of the May 26 showdown.
According to a recent University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs survey, Middleton holds a narrow lead over Roy, with 48% of likely Republican voters backing him compared to 39% for Roy. Yet, about 13% of voters remain undecided—a significant bloc that could tip the scales in what both camps agree is a tight and unpredictable race. The survey, conducted via text message with 1,200 likely Republican voters, carries a margin of error of +/- 2.83%. While Middleton’s team touts the poll as evidence of momentum, Roy and his supporters are more skeptical. As Roy told Inside Texas Politics, “We feel very good. We’re going across the state of Texas getting a lot of great response. And you know, there’s one key difference in this election than the March 3 election is that we’re coming in hard with ads and we’re doing contrast ads against my opponent.”
Roy has made a point of questioning the poll’s methodology, arguing that the text-message format may not capture the true state of the race. He claims his internal polling shows the contest within two or three points, with himself trending in the lead. “Anyone looking objectively at the Republican race for Texas Attorney General will describe it as neck and neck and within the margin of error. In other words, it’s still anybody’s race,” Roy said, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of runoff elections, especially those with historically low turnout.
The path to this runoff was a crowded one. Four major Republican candidates competed in the initial round: Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton, State Senator Joan Huffman, and former U.S. Department of Justice attorney Aaron Reitz. When the votes were tallied, Middleton led with 39.2% and Roy followed with 31.7%, sending both to the runoff. Early voting for this crucial contest runs from May 18 through May 22, giving voters a narrow window to make their voices heard before the May 26 election day.
Endorsements have played a significant role in shaping the narrative. Middleton has secured the backing of high-profile Texas Republicans, including current Attorney General Ken Paxton and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. He’s also received support from his former primary opponent Aaron Reitz. As Middleton explained in his interview with Inside Texas Politics, “Ken Paxton said he’s voting for me in this runoff on the 26th. Also, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has endorsed me in this race. My former primary opponent Aaron Reitz has endorsed me in this race and the first thing that he said, he said the reason why is he knows I will use every resource and tool in the AG’s office to back up President Trump.”
For Middleton, the race is about more than resumes—it’s about philosophy and priorities. He’s pitched himself as the candidate with the executive experience needed to lead the state’s largest law office, highlighting his seven years in the Texas Senate writing and defending conservative legislation. “Here’s the experience that matters the most: defeating the left. That is the number one thing in the AG’s office. And look, for seven years I’ve been writing these laws, drafting these laws, defending them against Democrat attorneys on the House floor, defending them against Democrat attorneys on the Senate floor, getting them over the finish line and winning,” Middleton argued. “Who better to enforce these laws than someone that was on the ground floor, writing them and already defending them against the left’s attacks?”
If elected, Middleton has pledged to create a standalone task force focused on investigating and prosecuting election-related crimes, as well as to "aggressively" enforce the state’s ban on sanctuary cities. He’s even floated the possibility of seeking to remove local leaders who obstruct agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This is a time for choosing, right? That’s one of Ronald Reagan’s most famous quotes here. And for seven years I’ve been in this fight. That’s why I’ve earned the endorsement of so many conservative grassroots groups across our state,” he said.
Roy, meanwhile, has staked his campaign on the importance of legal credentials and direct courtroom experience. He’s repeatedly criticized Middleton for not being a practicing attorney, arguing that the Attorney General must be able to personally argue cases and lead the state’s legal battles. “I’m a real lawyer. He’s not. And you need a real lawyer as the Attorney General of the state of Texas… it’s not the secretary of law; it’s the Attorney General. You need to be a lawyer who can show up in a court and actually do the work,” Roy said. He also touts his experience as Ken Paxton’s first Assistant Attorney General, positioning himself as someone who understands both the legal and managerial demands of the office.
Roy’s priorities, should he win, include assembling a top-notch legal team to ensure transparency in government, safeguarding open records, improving the state’s child support enforcement, and continuing litigation against the federal government. “Priority one is to make sure you’ve got the best team in place to be able to execute and deliver on open records, open government, and to make sure child support is delivering, and make sure we’re continuing to carry out the litigation against the federal government,” he told Inside Texas Politics.
The candidates have also made a point of demonstrating party unity, despite their sharp disagreements. Middleton has said he would ask for Roy’s endorsement if he wins the nomination and would support Roy should the tables turn. This spirit of unity could prove crucial for Republicans as they look ahead to a competitive general election in November.
While the Republican contest has drawn much of the spotlight, Democrats are also preparing for a runoff of their own. State Senator Nathan Johnson of District 16 will face former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski on May 26, with early voting running concurrently from May 18 to May 22. The outcome of both races will set the stage for a heated battle for the Attorney General’s office in the fall.
As the final days before early voting tick down, Texas voters are being inundated with ads, endorsements, and campaign promises. With so much at stake—and so many undecided voters still in play—the next week could prove decisive not only for the candidates but for the direction of Texas’s legal and political future. For those keeping score, it’s a contest marked by sharp contrasts, high-profile endorsements, and a sense that, even now, anything can happen.