First Democrat enters race to replace Paxton as Texas attorney general

Published July 16, 2025 12:25pm ET



Democratic Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson on Tuesday announced a bid to succeed outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is taking on Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Republican Senate primary.

Johnson is the first Democrat to launch a campaign among a growing field of Republican contenders vying for Paxton’s place ahead of the 2026 election.

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