Can a DOJ Insider Beat the Political Veterans? Inside the Texas AG Race to Watch

In a GOP primary field stacked with political veterans, Aaron Reitz is betting that closeness to Trump will be the decisive factor in Texas’ 2026 attorney general race. At 38, Reitz is the youngest candidate in a high-profile Republican contest that includes longtime state lawmakers Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman. He lacks their electoral track record, but he’s hoping that his recent stint at the U.S. Department of Justice under Pam Bondi, a key Trump ally, will give him an edge with GOP voters eager for alignment with a potential second Trump term.

“What Texans want out of their next AG is someone who can really deeply integrate, at least for the first two years of his term as AG, with the Trump administration,” said Reitz, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.

His comments signal a broader strategy: drawing a sharp contrast between personal relationships forged in Washington and the campaign-season allegiance other candidates are now claiming.

Middleton, a staunch conservative who represents the Houston area, has made his loyalty to Trump a centerpiece of his bid. His campaign materials feature photos with the former president and declarations of support for the America First agenda.

Huffman, meanwhile, is leaning into decades of legal experience, including time as both a prosecutor and judge, to argue that Texas needs an attorney general who is tested in the courtroom, not just politically connected in D.C.

“You want an experienced attorney, not someone who’s never seen the inside of a courtroom or is simply a young politician climbing the political ladder,” said Huffman.

Reitz remains undeterred. He told supporters that early fundraising numbers, reportedly over $1.7 million in his campaign’s opening weeks, suggest he’s gaining traction among GOP donors.

“My opponents, on the other hand, are career politicians with experience doing what career politicians do best: all talk, no action, and self-congratulatory photo ops,” he said.

The primary, still nearly nine months away, is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory. The attorney general’s office has long been a springboard to higher office in Texas, a tradition Reitz is acutely aware of, even if he resists comparisons to his opponents’ trajectories.

With current Attorney General Ken Paxton vacating the post to challenge Senator John Cornyn, the field is wide open, and the battle to define the future of conservative legal power in Texas is just beginning. Whether experience in the courtroom or proximity to Trump proves more persuasive to voters remains to be seen. Additional contenders could still join the race before the March 2026 primary. The filing deadline isn’t until early December, leaving the field open for now.