AUSTIN, Texas – Attorney General Ken Paxton led the early vote in Tuesday’s runoff election, showing an upper hand over Republican challenger George P. Bush in a heated contest that put a spotlight on the incumbent’s mounting legal problems.
Paxton led with a wide margin, according to unofficial results, that if it holds, could push to the political sidelines the only member of the Bush dynasty currently holding public office.
A win for Paxton would be a major boost for the two-term incumbent, who faced his most serious political challenge this election cycle. GOP rivals lined up to oust Paxton, arguing that he was unfit for office while facing six-year-old felony fraud charges and a more recent FBI corruption investigation.
Paxton has denied wrongdoing. On the campaign trail, he’s touted an endorsement from former President Donald Trump and a track record of suing the Biden administration and Big Tech.
Bush gave up a third go as the state’s land commissioner to challenge Paxton. He says he would restore integrity to the office, which serves as the state’s law office defending state agencies in court, collecting child support and enforcing consumer protection.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, former ACLU attorney Rochelle Garza took an early lead over former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski.
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