State Sen. Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) announced plans on Tuesday to run for Texas Attorney General.

Johnson is a Democrat who has served in the Texas Senate since first being elected in 2018, also working as a litigator and mediator in the Dallas office of Thompson Coburn LLP. During his time working in the Texas legislature, Johnson authored more than 400 bills, with a total of 134 of those bills becoming law.

Johnson currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Senate Jurisprudence Committee. He is a member of the Senate Committees on Business and Commerce, as well as Economic Development, Transportation, Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The senator provided a news release to The Dallas Express, stating in part, that “The way power is held and used is changing dramatically right now, across the country and here at home. Texas needs an attorney general who can meet the moment – with strength, independence, and a genuine commitment to serve the people of Texas instead of partisan ideology.”

Johnson is so far the only Democrat to enter the race. On the Republican side, State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) has launched a campaign to succeed Paxton, emphasizing his legislative record on border security, school choice, and religious liberty. Former Paxton deputy Aaron Reitz is also running, citing his background in the Department of Justice and commitment to continuing Paxton’s legal priorities. State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) has joined the race as well, making for a crowded Republican primary.

Johnson’s campaign announcement comes shortly after Paxton announced plans to run for the U.S. Senate, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.

Paxton wrote in a statement about his campaign that he plans to “fight for President Trump’s agenda and take a sledgehammer to the D.C. establishment.”

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Initial polling from April indicated that Paxton had a sizable advantage over U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).

 

Paxton continues to serve Texans while keeping his eye on the U.S. Senate seat. Most recently, Paxton has initiated an investigation concerning over 100 possible noncitizens believed to have cast more than 200 ballots in the 2020 and 2022 elections, as announced by his office on Tuesday, July 15. This inquiry represents the latest effort by Texas authorities to examine voting participation by noncitizens, following a related investigation that began last month.

“Illegal aliens and foreign nationals must not be allowed to influence Texas elections by casting illegal ballots with impunity. I will not allow it to continue,” Paxton said in a statement. “Thanks to President Trump’s decisive action to help states safeguard the ballot box, this investigation will help Texas hold noncitizens accountable for unlawfully voting in American elections.”