John Bash, a prominent attorney known for representing Elon Musk and serving as a former U.S. Attorney, announced Wednesday he is withdrawing from the race to become Texas’ next attorney general. His exit marks a shift in what was shaping up to be a closely watched contest for one of the state’s most influential legal positions.
In a post shared on social media, Bash cited a recent family health scare as the reason for his departure.
“We’ve been deeply moved by the encouragement and support we’ve received over the past several weeks,” he wrote. “I launched this campaign because I believe Texas must continue to lead the national fight to protect our prosperity, safety, and constitutional freedoms. I still believe I have the right experience and judgment for the job. But the timing isn’t right for our young family. I will always be grateful for the incredible support and generosity we received from so many.”
The Texas attorney general’s office has long been a springboard for political leadership in the state. The current officeholder, Ken Paxton, is stepping down to challenge Sen. John Cornyn in the upcoming Republican primary. Both men are former attorneys general, as is Governor Greg Abbott, underscoring the position’s significance in Texas politics, as first reported by Politico.According to Reuters, attorney John Bash represented Elon Musk in a defamation lawsuit brought by Benjamin Brody, who claimed that Musk falsely trumpeted misinformation connecting Brody to a brawl in Oregon last year on behalf of a neo-Nazi group.
Bash and his legal team contended that Musk’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter) are protected under both the U.S. and Texas constitutions as expressions of free speech on a matter of public concern, specifically, the public’s interest in identifying violent extremists. The legal team has dismissed the lawsuit as “baseless,” arguing that Musk’s post neither directly named Brody nor constituted a defamatory statement.
While Bash’s campaign was still in early stages, his background, including federal prosecutorial experience and recent high-profile legal work for Musk, had drawn attention from political observers. His departure narrows the field and may shift momentum toward Middleton, who is now the likely frontrunner in the Republican primary.
