Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Wins Runoff Election

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won his runoff election in the state’s Republican primary, according to an Associated Press projection.

Paxton is projected to defeat Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the son of failed presidential candidate Jeb Bush, by a double-digit margin.

Paxton’s triumph over Bush puts the final nail in the coffin of the Bush political dynasty. Bush’s name recognition reportedly harmed his campaign, with Texas voters comparing him to “the establishment” and criticizing him for being “politically correct.”

The Texas GOP attorney general primary went to a runoff election after Paxton fell slightly short of the 50 percent threshold necessary to avoid a runoff. Paxton led Bush, Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) in March’s primary.

With an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Paxton is slated to run against Democrat challenger Rochelle Garza in November’s general election.

“It is going to take a PATRIOT like Ken Paxton to advance America First policies in order to Make America Great Again,” Trump said in his endorsement. “Ken has my Complete and Total Endorsement for another term as Attorney General of Texas. He is a true Texan who will keep Texas safe—and will never let you down!”

Paxton, who has been the state’s attorney general since 2015, is seeking his third term as Texas’s top lawyer.

Paxton has been involved in various impactful lawsuits during his tenure as attorney general. For example, Paxton sued Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in the Supreme Court over their election rules in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.

Since President Joe Biden has taken office, Paxton’s office has sued the administration more than 25 times, largely over Biden’s radical immigration policies. Paxton’s lawsuits have been effective in halting Biden’s immigration agenda. Federal courts have reportedly agreed with Paxton in 93 percent of cases where there has been movement.

“If we don’t defend the laws, and we don’t defend our Constitution, then we don’t have one,” Paxton said. “Since I spoke to the Washington Examiner back in March, we are now involved in 28 plaintiff-side suits. 35 lawsuits altogether, and I’m just getting started.”

Notably, Paxton successfully sued Biden right as he took office over the administration’s 100-day deportation suspension. Paxton also sued Biden for restarting the Obama-era Central American Minors program, a policy that allows certain migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to petition the government to resettle their children in the United States.

Paxton also sued Biden after he ended Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, which provides that migrants must remain in Mexico instead of being released into the U.S. while their asylum claims are pending. As a result of Paxton’s lawsuit, the Supreme Court ordered Biden’s administration to restart the program last year.