The vast majority of Republicans indicated they had moved on from the bitter GOP primary and now support Paxton. Talarico had commanding leads among independents and moderates.

Middleton, a conservative state senator and oil and gas executive, put more than $16 million of his own money into the race.

John Cornyn is trying to fend off Ken Paxton. Both parties are picking attorney general nominees. And an oil and gas regulatory race has become uncharacteristically costly.

Middleton helped fund the Legislature’s swing to the right, and an internecine challenge to Ken Paxton. But that’s nothing next to the money he’s spent on himself.

State Sen. Mayes Middleton says Rep. Chip Roy betrayed the MAGA movement, while Roy says Middleton isn't qualified to work at the attorney general’s office, let alone lead it.

Roy is the only candidate who’s “able and prepared to do the job,” Fairly said. Roy’s opponent, Mayes Middleton, has been criticized for his lack of legal experience.

The lieutenant governor endorsed state Sen. Mayes Middleton over U.S. Rep. Chip Roy for the Republican attorney general nod. And he backed Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright over challenger Bo French.

The University of Houston survey results were within the margin of error less than a month out from the May 26 election. State Sen. Mayes Middleton had a wider lead in the attorney general primary.

Editor’s note: This is an updated version of one of our primary surveys featuring candidates in the Democratic and Republican primaries for U.S. Senate and attorney general. This Q&A has been edited since it first ran before the March primary to remove Aaron Reitz, a former top official in the U.S. Department of Justice, and […]

Emboldened by overturning Roe v. Wade, conservative legal groups hope Ken Paxton’s successor will help them overturn gay marriage and public school access for undocumented students.

Reitz, a former aide to Texas AG Ken Paxton, had sharply criticized both Middleton and Chip Roy on the campaign trail.

Middleton gave almost $14 million to his own campaign, helping propel him into first place on election night.

Two blockbuster Senate primaries dominated attention, chaos reigned in down-ballot races and an intense runoff season looms.

With a self-funded ad surge, Middleton overcame Roy’s initial frontrunner status, taking a commanding lead but falling short of the majority needed to win outright.

All four candidates are vying to prove they are the heir apparent to Paxton, who has solidified the office as a juggernaut in the conservative legal movement.

Middleton has the money and the endorsements. But his primary opponents say he lacks key legal experience to be Texas’ top lawyer.

Huffman is running on her criminal prosecution experience and allegiance to the rule of law, cutting a contrast with her opponents who are emphasizing a continuation of Paxton’s culture war battles.

The poll, released Wednesday, also showed Sid Miller and Don Huffines with comfortable leads in their Republican primary bids for agriculture commissioner and comptroller.

The four-way Republican primary drew millions in donations over the second half of 2025, outpacing the comparatively meager fundraising by Democrats led by Sen. Nathan Johnson.

Gov. Greg Abbott will ceremonially sign Texas’ Make America Healthy Again legislation Wednesday afternoon at the Texas Capitol in Austin.

“Is Gene Wu back in China?” state Sen. Mayes Middleton, a Galveston Republican, posted on X on Monday — the first day the House did not reach a quorum due to the absent Democrats.

A tweet by Sen. Mayes Middleton questioning if Houston lawmaker Gene Wu was "back in China" sparked backlash amid a Democratic walkout to block GOP redistricting plans.

Critics of the bill say the state’s smallest cities and school districts will be silenced at the Capitol.

The bills would carry a $5,000 fine for a first-time violation and comes as momentum for such restrictions has increased in the state and nationally.

Buoyed by the Trump administration's willingness to place restrictions on food assistance programs, Texas moves to limit junk food.

Lawmakers filed dozens of bills that would increase transparency around spending in elections and strengthen penalties for campaign and lobbying violations. None are poised to pass.

Many trans Texans have changed the sex listed on their birth certificate, driver’s licenses and other documents. They say their identities will be invalidated under bill headed to governor's desk.

Senate Bill 1150, which is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott, is a rare example of the Texas Legislature regulating the state’s oil and gas industry.

Texas lawmakers are advancing several bills that could impact student experience in schools across the state, ranging from enhanced safety measures to religious expression and technology use policies.

Paul is the first candidate out of the gate to succeed incumbent Mayes Middleton in an open seat running from Galveston to the outskirts of Houston.

The bill would overturn a two-decade-old law allowing some undocumented college students to pay in-state tuition.

A fiery debate on the House floor Friday gave way to the Senate Bill 412’s final vote. Supporters say it’s needed to protect children.

Senate Bill 1717 would require the name of Gulf of Mexico to be changed in every official reference made by a state agency, resolution, rule or publication.

The only time the state conducted such an assessment two decades ago, it found that undocumented Texans contributed more to the state’s economy than they cost the state.

Middleton is the second Republican to join what is expected to be a growing field of candidates angling to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton as the state’s top legal official.

There is a push in our backyard by State Senator Mayes Middleton to reconstruct how our state government looks and operates in the future. The approach is to not only save money for Texans, but also to make government more efficient in the Lone Star State.

An advocacy group called Make Texans Healthy Again (MHTA) praised the move by the Texas Senate in a news release as a way to keep people from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other “ultra-processed products with no nutritional value.”

It was in early February that KPRC 2 Investigates first exposed potential electioneering by the Houston Independent School District during last year’s controversial bond election.

The bill would have set deadlines for the oil and gas industry to plug inactive wells, which can pose a danger to the environment.

The vote comes amid a broader push by conservative Christians to infuse more religion into public schools and life.

Past efforts to allow more religion in public schools have been hamstrung by legal challenges. But those on the religious right feel empowered by recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

On Monday we first exposed a $2-million dollar “key action” listed in the 2024-2025 budget consisting of an “Ask voters for a bond election in November 2024.” What we uncovered was that HISD used nearly $1.4 million dollars to hire a consulting group that specializes in communications, governmental relations and campaigns. Ultimately the district posted social media videos with the words “RENEW HISD” at the end of the highly produced thirty-second videos.

Houston Independent School District (HISD) Superintendent Mike Myles is unavailable to discuss a controversial $2-million "key action" linked to a November bond, which involved hiring a consulting group for communication strategies.

Less than 24 after KPRC 2 Investigates exposed whether the Houston Independent School District did everything by the book regarding last November’s $4 billion bond, one Texas State Senator already is saying that he believes state law was broken.

The assignment is called The Genderbread Person, which features a drawing of what appears to be a gingerbread man, but those raising concerns say there is nothing “cookie-cutter” about it.

Decision polarizes parents

Katy Independent School District’s Board of Trustees held a work-study meeting Monday night to discuss several topics, including whether to hire chaplains.

Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation.

The bill offers no exceptions for doctors’ offices, clinics or other health facilities. Senators agreed to let those entities require unvaccinated employees to wear personal protective gear or take other “reasonable” measures to manage the spread.

A Senate panel on Tuesday advanced such a measure. The debate centered largely around the safety of the vaccine and whether doctors’ offices and health care facilities should be exempt.

“I feel there were six senators who were ready to be the 21st vote,” said Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas. “But they didn’t want to be the 20th vote.”

The law takes effect September 1st. School boards will have to vote on whether to accept Chaplains.

Senate Bill 763, authored by Galveston area State Senator Mayes Middleton, would allow school districts to hire or accept chaplain volunteers to “provide support, services, and programs for students as assigned by the board of trustees of the district.”

One week before the fifth anniversary of the Santa Fe High School mass shooting, relatives of those killed and wounded are celebrating a hard fought victory at the state capitol. A bill that will allow family members of crime victims to see certain pieces of evidence prior to trial is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature.

After last-minute changes, a proposed law impacting the families of those killed during the Santa Fe High School mass shooting is moving forward.

Family members of murder victims testified Tuesday before a Texas House committee on a bill that would allow them to view certain pieces of evidence prior to trial.

A Galveston area state senator is working to pass a law that would allow crime victims and immediate family members to view the evidence in certain criminal cases that have not yet gone to trial.

Texas is the latest state to pitch a version of the program, which lets parents who opt out of their local school districts use tax dollars to pay for private schooling.

For the first time, Abbott makes it clear which policy he supports. Bills that would allow parents to get state money to send their kids to schools outside of the state’s public education system have been floated previously, but top lawmakers believe the policies will pass this session.

Rural school leaders in Texas have been able to stave off the legislative priority of some of the state’s most prominent Republicans. But private school officials hope this year will be different.

Advocates say discontent with public schools’ pandemic rules and teachings on race and gender identity have helped raise support for school choice to an all-time high.

For Mallory Olson, a seemingly normal night of sleep was disrupted by a knock on her front door.

The pricey fights illustrate how much of the action in Texas politics has shifted back to the primary after redistricting dramatically reduced the number of competitive seats.

As the caucus’ third session gets underway, Scahefer added, “I think that our relationships with our colleagues in the House are as good as they’ve ever been. "The Texas House is stronger when everyone has a seat at the table, and I am making it a priority to ensure every representative can represent their district and principles faithfully,” Phelan said in a statement for this story. AdThe caucus formed in the opening weeks of the 2017 session, promising to serve as the conduit between activists and Austin. Caucus members said they were fighting back against “petty personal politics” when they took advantage of a key midnight deadline to kill the more than 100 bills. To the surprise of some, it was a Freedom Caucus member — Cain — who stepped forward to speak out against the idea.

Dan Patrick has suggested there could be an announcement about pandemic protocols next week, and Gov. “I think voters sent a clear message of who they want in charge and the kinds of priorities they want. At the Capitol, state leaders have been in talks for months over what protocols should be in place throughout the session, though no formal guidance has been announced yet. “I’m frustrated that we don’t have a clear picture, but I’m not surprised,” said state Rep. Erin Zwiener, D-Driftwood. “We as the Texas House can’t vote on new rules until we are in session, [so] we are a little bit stuck.