(Texas Scorecard) – Aaron Reitz, a former deputy attorney general under Ken Paxton and recent Trump administration appointee, announced his campaign for the Republican nomination for Texas attorney general.
Reitz made the announcement Thursday, a day after resigning as assistant attorney general for legal policy under Pam Bondi in the Department of Justice. He previously served as Paxton’s deputy attorney general for legal strategy and as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
“We are in a fight for the soul of Texas, our nation, and Western civilization itself,” said Reitz in a campaign statement. “This is no time for half-measures or untested cowards.”
“As Attorney General, I’ll use every ounce of legal firepower to defend President Trump, crush the radical Left, advance the America and Texas First agenda, and look out for everyday Texans,” he added.
Reitz said he would use the office to pursue policies aligned with President Donald Trump’s agenda, including increased border security, mass deportations, opposition to progressive prosecutors, and efforts to uncover election fraud. He also pledged to target Big Tech, support law enforcement, and defend constitutional rights.
“I led the fight on virtually every major legal campaign that Texans care about,” said Reitz, referring to his time under Paxton. “I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Paxton to challenge the 2020 election when others ran scared.”
His campaign announcement included praise from Trump, who described Reitz as “a true MAGA attorney” and “a warrior for our Constitution.”
Reitz becomes the latest Republican to announce a campaign for attorney general, joining State Sen. Mayes Middleton. The race comes as current Attorney General Ken Paxton is not seeking re-election and is instead running for the U.S. Senate against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
After Reitz resigned from his federal position yesterday, he was greeted with support from those in the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.