Roy launched his campaign on Thursday for the statewide office instead of seeking reelection in the House next year. The four-term representative said he wants to defend Texas against “open-border politicians, radical leftists, and faceless foreign corporations that threaten our sovereignty, safety, and our way of life.”<\/p>\n

The congressman will be seeking to replace Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton<\/a>, who is challenging incumbent Sen. John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) in the 2026 midterm elections.<\/p>\n

Before his election to Congress in 2018, Roy served as Cruz’s chief of staff, Texas’s first assistant attorney general<\/a> under Paxton, senior adviser to former Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX), Senate Judiciary Committee staff director under Cornyn, and a federal prosecutor.<\/p>\n

Roy will be vying for the Texas office in a crowded field of GOP challengers<\/a> that includes Texas state Sens. Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman, in addition to former Texas Deputy Attorney General Aaron Reitz.<\/p>\n

Cruz said while all the candidates for Texas attorney general are “friends of mine” and have been “strong supporters of mine for many, many years,” he threw his support behind Roy.<\/p>\n

“With over two decades of dedicated service to Texas, Chip has consistently shown the courage, integrity, and conviction required to defend our great state,” the senator added.<\/p>\n

“He is a battle-tested warrior and a fierce defender of the Constitution. I have full confidence that he will stand up for the rule of law, preserve the rights and freedoms of Texans, and hold those who threaten our great state accountable. There is no one better equipped to lead the Office of the Texas Attorney General, and I know that he will ferociously fight and protect the Lone Star State,” Cruz said.<\/p>\n

A vocal member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, Roy has frequently challenged Republican leadership in Congress and the White House on fiscal policy &mdash<\/a>; to the point of drawing the president’s ire.<\/p>\n

CHIP ROY ANNOUNCES RUN TO REPLACE KEN PAXTON AS TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Late last year, President Donald Trump<\/a> threatened a primary challenge against Roy after the fiscal conservative opposed Trump’s push to raise the debt ceiling as part of government funding talks. Despite being an ardent supporter of Trump, Roy was one of the Republican hardliners who didn’t agree with the president on this issue. Congress ultimately raised the debt ceiling to $41.1 trillion last month through Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with support from Roy.<\/p>\n

Trump has yet to weigh in on his preferred candidate for the Texas attorney general race.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n