'True MAGA attorney' Aaron Reitz joins race for Texas attorney general

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — After Attorney General Ken Paxton announced he would challenge incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, the election to replace him is heating up.

Aaron Reitz, former U.S. assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy, said he is running for attorney general to increase cooperation between Texas and the Trump administration.

"The first two years are going to be characterized by very deep integration with the Trump administration," Reitz said. "President Trump ... praised my record litigating on major issues with Attorney General Ken Paxton, and then he specifically called me a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the constitution."

Reitz previously worked under Paxton, serving as a deputy attorney general before leaving for the Trump administration. He said he stood by Paxton during his 2023 impeachment trial, and defended "lawfare and weaponization" against him.

Now, he wants to take Paxton's job as the state's top lawyer. He pointed to his experience litigating conservative priorities — namely against diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools — in Paxton's office and will do the same as attorney general.

"We had all kinds of lawsuits ... ensuring that our children were protected in schools, and that woke indoctrination was not happening in our public school system," Reitz said. "I have a record that shows I know and have successfully litigated, sued, appealed, and defended on those issues."

Reitz was asked about the recent lawsuit brought by the DOJ against Texas for the Texas Dream Act, which gave in-state tuition to undocumented students who met certain requirements. But Paxton's office settled the case within a few hours, and the law was struck down, with some accusing the two entities of colluding to take away the program.

Working at the DOJ at the time, Reitz made it clear that he was likely involved in some capacity.

"If you saw any headline making news coming out of the Justice Department, you can guarantee that I was in some way involved with it," Reitz said.

Reitz will face two state senators in the March 2026 GOP primary -- Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston. Huffman has served in the Senate since 2008, and Middleton has served since 2019, along with being president of the Middleton Oil Company.

Middleton's campaign website touts his work to pass the Save Women's Sports Act and a ban on COVID vaccine mandates. Huffman served as a district judge and attorney in Harris County before being elected to the Senate. "I am the best-qualified, most-experienced candidate who understands the intricacies of every function of state government," Huffman wrote in her campaign announcement.

Reitz said that his legal record sets him apart, and that anyone who claims he is not experienced enough is making a "loser critique."

"I think that is the sort of low energy mentality and approach that Joan Huffman and Mayes Middleton are going to bring to this race," Reitz said. "When you look at my record, litigating, investigating, suing, defending and appealing on all of the major issues from the perspective of this executive branch legal role, I think my record beats theirs every single day."

Reitz discussed his record of investigating and pursuing litigation against the Biden administration. He said that if Republicans retain the White House in 2028, he would be an ally to that president. But if the Democrats win the presidency, he made it clear he would be ready to fight, even without knowing which person or policies he would be fighting against.

"If you see a changing of the guard, you're going to see what I did for my three years under Attorney General Paxton, and that is suing the federal government under Democratic control to ensure that Texas liberty is protected here at home," Reitz said.

In a GOP primary in Texas, races to the right are not uncommon. Reitz's brand as a MAGA warrior would be a continuation of Paxton's tenure as attorney general — something he proudly advertises.

"When Texans are looking to support or elect their next Texas AG, somebody who has the proven battle tested experience to be ready on day one to continue fighting the fights on behalf of Texas and all Texans — It's me," Reitz said. "We're going to continue to put our foot on the gas and press hard in those directions."