MAGA's Middleton handily defeats Chip Roy in Texas AG race

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton enjoyed more than one victory on Tuesday night.

In addition to defeating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP Senate primary runoff election by over 380,000 votes, Paxton saw his endorsee, Texas state Sen. Mayes Middleton, win the Texas attorney general Republican primary runoff.

With over 97% of the expected votes in, Middleton — a proud supporter of the America First agenda — had secured 55.2% of the vote. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a former deputy to Paxton who who turned coat and pushed for Paxton's resignation, trailed behind by 10.4 percentage points.

'Republican obstructionists have to be done away with.'

Roy noted just before 10 p.m. that he had called Middleton to congratulate him. The victor thanked the fourth-term congressman online, writing, "Looking forward to working with you to keep Texas Red and see you pass the SAVE Act."

Middleton — an oilman, seventh-generation Texan, and father of four who was endorsed by numerous conservative groups including the Texas Family Project, Moms for America Action, and the True Texas Project — pledged in his campaign to "lead the charge to secure our border, protect Texas kids, ensure fairness in girls' and women’s sports, protect Texas taxpayers and consumers, ensure strict election integrity, and root out waste, fraud, and abuse from our government."

RELATED: Trump-endorsed Paxton DEMOLISHES Cornyn in GOP Senate primary runoff

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

He also said that he would work to eradicate Sharia law in the state and abolish the H-1B visa program.

During the campaign, Roy and some of his backers characterized Middleton as inexperienced. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Middleton's former primary opponent, Aaron Reitz, were among those who countered this framing.

Patrick repeatedly stressed that "Mayes Middleton is one of the most conservative members in Texas Senate history — a proven, unapologetic MAGA conservative who fights and wins," who will "work hand-in-hand with the Governor, the Legislature, the Department of Justice, and President Trump to make the Texas Attorney General’s office the strongest in the nation."

"Some criticize Mayes by saying he lacks the legal experience to lead. But that argument doesn’t hold up," Reitz noted in an op-ed. "For nearly twenty years, Mayes has practiced law as a civil attorney, focusing on oil and gas transactions and litigation, while at the same time serving in state government."

Middleton criticized Roy in turn for previously turning on President Donald Trump, characterizing the lawmaker as a backstabber who "betrayed MAGA."

Roy — who enjoyed the backing of elements of the GOP establishment including Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) — stressed that he is aligned with Trump and has a stellar conservative voting record. However, some evidently have not forgotten that he opposed efforts to challenge the 2020 election results in Congress; accused Trump of "clearly impeachable conduct" after the Jan. 6, 2021, protests; and backed Trump 2024 presidential primary challenger Gov. Ron DeSantis.

After winning the presidential election in 2024, Trump suggested that Texas Republicans should primary Roy, accusing Roy of "getting in the way, as usual," and noting that "Republican obstructionists have to be done away with."

Middleton will now face off with Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson, a litigator and composer, endorsed by the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus and multiple gun-grab groups, who contributed scores to the anime series "Dragon Ball Z."

Johnson has pledged to lead "the fight against the MAGA machine’s assault on our individual rights, against the looting of our tax dollars, and against federal overreach."

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