TEXAS — Former President Donald Trump is backing Attorney General Ken Paxton for reelection.


What You Need To Know

  • Former President Donald Trump endorses Attorney General Ken Paxton for reelection

  • Trump's endorsement is a blow to primary challenger George P. Bush, who has been seeking the coveted endorsement among Republicans

  • During his campaign announcement, Bush touted Trump’s support and has met with the former president multiple times and is the only member of his famous political family to support Trump in the 2016 election

  • Eva Guzman, the former state Supreme Court Justice, is also running to try to unseat Paxton

The pick of Paxton is a blow to primary challenger George P. Bush, who has been seeking the coveted endorsement among Republicans.

"It is going to take a PATRIOT like Ken Paxton to advance America First policies in order to Make America Great Again," Trump said in a statement Monday night. "Ken has my Complete and Total Endorsement for another term as Attorney General of Texas. He is a true Texan who will keep Texas safe—and will never let you down!"

For months, Trump has teased he would make an endorsement in the race. Eva Guzman, the former state Supreme Court Justice, is also running to try to unseat Paxton. But the battle over Trump’s backing has been largely focused on Paxton and Bush, the current land commissioner.

During his campaign announcement, Bush touted Trump’s support and has met with the former president multiple times. Bush is the only member of his famous political family to support Trump in the 2016 election. Bush tweeted out a statement Monday night but didn’t mention Trump’s endorsement of Paxton.

“I’m running for Attorney General because Texans deserve integrity and honesty from the office of Texas’ top law enforcement official. Texans deserve a candidate without a laundry list of existing and potential criminal indictments,” Bush said.

Trump’s endorsement of Paxton isn’t a big surprise. Paxton has been an ardent supporter of Trump, spoke at the pro-Trump rally before the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol in January and filed an unsuccessful lawsuit that challenged Trump’s reelection loss in four battleground states.