On August 21, 2025, Texas Congressman Chip Roy, a prominent figure in the conservative House Freedom Caucus, announced his candidacy for Texas Attorney General, setting the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested Republican primary. Roy, who represents Texas’s 21st Congressional District—a deep red swath of the Hill Country stretching into San Antonio—made his intentions clear in a dramatic campaign video posted across social media platforms.
In his campaign launch, Roy declared, “Today, we draw a line in the sand. Texans’ next attorney general must have a proven record of fighting to preserve, protect, and defend our legacy—an attorney general unafraid to fight, unafraid to win.” He continued, “That’s why I fought to secure our border and help President Trump deliver results.” According to The Well News, Roy’s video leaned heavily into Texas iconography, referencing the Alamo and the state’s collective resilience in the face of the devastating Hill Country floods. “From the Alamo to our collective response to the Hill Country floods, Texans have a long legacy of leaders willing to fight to preserve and protect their homes and communities,” Roy said, standing before scenes of his family ranch and the Texas Capitol.
Roy’s entry into the race comes as current Attorney General Ken Paxton, mired in controversy and facing allegations of bribery and abuse of office, forgoes reelection to challenge Senator John Cornyn for his seat. The Republican primary for attorney general is already crowded, with state Senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman, and former Paxton aide Aaron Reitz among the contenders. On the Democratic side, attorney Joe Jaworski and Texas Senator Nathan Johnson have declared their candidacies as well.
Roy’s political journey is as Texas as it gets. Before his election to Congress in 2018, he served as Paxton’s first assistant attorney general and as chief of staff to Senator Ted Cruz. He also worked for former Texas Governor Rick Perry and then-Attorney General John Cornyn. Roy’s campaign biography, as reported by The Well News, highlights his shift from investment banking to law after the September 11 attacks inspired him to pursue public service. His resume includes stints as a federal prosecutor and a ghostwriter for Perry’s 2010 book “Fed Up!”
Despite this deep Republican pedigree, Roy has never shied away from bucking party orthodoxy—or even President Trump himself. As Roll Call notes, Roy is known for his outspoken opposition to illegal immigration and federal spending, but he’s also been a frequent thorn in the side of GOP leadership. He was among the small group of Republicans who initially refused to back Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker in 2023 and was one of just 71 Republicans to vote against raising the federal debt limit that year. In 2021, Roy voted to certify the 2020 presidential election results, setting himself apart from many in his party. And in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, he endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over Trump.
These breaks from Trump have not gone unnoticed. In 2024, Trump publicly criticized Roy during a dispute over a government funding bill, calling on voters to “go after” him in the primary. Still, Roy has tried to balance his independent streak with alignment on key issues, emphasizing in his campaign launch his support for Trump’s efforts to secure the border and deliver conservative results for Texas.
Roy’s campaign messaging is as fiery as ever. In his announcement, he railed against “radical Democrats and George Soros” for funding what he described as liberal judges and district attorneys “hellbent on coddling criminals and putting Texans in danger.” He warned that “open border politicians have flooded our streets, hospitals, jails, and schools with illegal immigrants and dangerous fentanyl.” According to San Antonio Current, Roy pledged to use the attorney general’s office to punch back at “open-border politicians, radical leftists, and faceless foreign corporations that threaten our sovereignty, safety and our way of life.” He further declared, “No more Soros-funded judges and DAs putting criminals on our streets. No more judge-made mandates that Texas pay for illegals in our public schools. No more communities built on Sharia law.”
Roy’s rhetoric has sometimes veered into the inflammatory. He has previously called COVID a hoax and made controversial remarks about “ethnic cleansing” white progressives, as reported by San Antonio Current. These statements have drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle, but they have not diminished his standing among the most conservative elements of the Texas GOP.
Financially, Roy enters the race with a formidable war chest—over $2.5 million in campaign cash, according to the Texas Tribune. His national profile, bolstered by frequent appearances on Fox News and Newsmax, gives him a name recognition advantage over many of his rivals. As policy chair for the House Freedom Caucus and a member of the House Rules Committee, Roy has cultivated a reputation as a relentless advocate for conservative causes and a skilled political operator.
The timing of Roy’s announcement coincides with a larger political reshuffling in Texas. The state legislature, under pressure from Trump, has advanced redistricting plans that could give Republicans up to five additional House seats in 2026. The new map keeps Roy’s 21st Congressional District safely Republican, with Trump having received 60.2% of the vote there in 2024. With Roy opting not to seek reelection to Congress, his seat will be open in 2026, likely sparking a crowded Republican primary. Democrats, however, view the district as a long shot. “Northern San Antonio is more white and conservative than other parts [of the city],” said Texas Majority PAC director Katherine Fischer, noting that the district is “not particularly winnable this cycle.”
Other Texas political figures are eyeing the openings created by the redistricting. San Antonio Councilman Marc Whyte has indicated interest in running for either the 21st or the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District, reflecting the high stakes and shifting dynamics of Texas politics heading into 2026.
As the race for attorney general heats up, Roy’s campaign will test whether his brand of combative, unapologetic conservatism can unite the Texas GOP—or whether his history of intra-party feuds and controversial remarks will give his opponents an opening. With a crowded field, a high-profile Senate battle, and redistricting shaking up the state’s political map, Texas voters are in for a wild ride as election season approaches.
Roy’s candidacy, with its mix of establishment experience, outsider bravado, and hard-right messaging, signals that the contest for Texas’s top legal office will be anything but dull. The coming months will reveal whether his bold “line in the sand” resonates with Republican primary voters—or whether Texas is ready for a new kind of conservative standard-bearer.
