With current Attorney General Ken Paxton running for U.S. Senate, the Republican primary race to fill his position is heating up.
State Sen. Mayes Middleton, former Department of Justice official Aaron Reitz, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, and State Sen. Joan Huffman are running for the GOP nomination for attorney general.
Newly-released financial records reveal how much each candidate has raised, spent, and has in cash on hand for the campaign.
The reporting period dates range from July 1 until December 31, and the candidates’ available campaign cash balances vary widely.
Mayes Middleton
State Sen. Mayes Middleton, president of Middleton Oil Co., announced his campaign for attorney general in May, shortly after Paxton launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
In the previous reporting period—which ended on June 30—Middleton had more than $10 million in cash on hand.
Now, records show Middleton has a little over $5 million in cash on hand, raising nearly $12 million and spending over $7 million during the reporting period.
Aaron Reitz
Aaron Reitz, a Marine Corps veteran, former deputy attorney general, and appointed assistant attorney general Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Policy under U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, announced his candidacy for Texas attorney general in June.
In the previous reporting period, Reitz had roughly $2 million in cash on hand.
Now, records show Reitz has almost $3 million in cash on hand, raising over $1.6 million and spending roughly $1 million during the reporting period.
Chip Roy
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, who serves as policy director of the House Freedom Caucus, announced his campaign for attorney general in August. Roy was formerly an assistant U.S. attorney and first assistant attorney general of Texas.
Campaign finance records reveal Roy has over $4 million in cash on hand, after raising roughly $4.5 million and spending over $1.2 million during his shorter reporting period of August 21 through December 31.
Joan Huffman
State Sen. Joan Huffman announced her campaign for attorney general in June. During her career as a senator, Huffman has served as chair of various committees, including State Affairs, Jurisprudence, and Redistricting.
In the previous reporting period, Huffman had more than $3 million in cash on hand.
Now, campaign finance records reveal Huffman has $2.7 million in cash on hand, raising over $500,000 and spending over $860,000 during the reporting period.
The Republican Primary Election will take place on March 3, 2026.
