The Race For Attorney General Is Heating Up; Ken Paxton Takes First Swing at George P. Bush

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made an appearance today at The Mark Davis Show, he used the opportunity to talk about his upcoming reelection run. The current AG didn’t mince words when discussing his soon-to-be opponent, George P. Bush.

Paxton said that Bush “hates being land commissioner” and that he was supposed to run for either Abbott or Patrick’s job but he ultimately changed his mind due to the fact that Patrick and Abbott have deeper pockets, “I think Bush settled on challenging me largely because I don’t have as much money.” 

Paxton made it clear that he doesn’t think highly of this opponent, “He’s not competent for the job of Attorney General,” he said, “Look at Alamo and Harvey funds. He hasn’t even proved himself, let alone a job like this, which takes a lot of legal ability, which he doesn’t have.”

On the other hand, Bush visited The Texas Tribune’s Point of Order podcast, where he told host Evan Smith that while he’s planning a campaign kick-off starting June, he’s somewhat coy about what office he’ll be running for in 2022, “I have shared with the public I am taking a very serious look at a run for attorney general but I also wanted to provide deference to those in the legislative halls of this session and make that announcement after they have completed their work.” The Legislature ends in less than two weeks, on May 31.

He also referenced Paxton’s indictment charges of securities fraud, saying that Paxton’s office has become “just disgraceful.”

Meanwhile, on the Democrat side, there’s only one declared candidate, Joe Jaworski, Galveston’s former mayor, but with former State Senator Kirk Watson’s announcement that he’s leaving the Hobby School of Public Affairs, there are rumblings that he may be gearing up to challenge Paxton as well.