Next year, Texans will go to the polls to elect a new attorney general, and for the first time in more than a decade, Ken Paxton won’t be on the ballot. This leaves a wide-open field, in which four Republicans and three Democrats will vie to become Texas’ next top lawyer.
Attorneys general have gained political prominence in recent decades, and Texas, as the largest state with a Republican attorney general, has taken the lead on advancing conservative ideology through the courts. But the agency also handles a wide range of legal issues that impact everyday life for Texans, from consumer protection to child support.
“You want to pay close attention to this office, even if you haven’t necessarily before,” said Paul Nolette, a political science professor at Marquette University who studies attorneys general. “The impact that they can have, on the state, nationally, and really on any issue that you care about, is immense.”
