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Texas Attorney General race: Ken Paxton faces Democratic challenger Rochelle Garza

By FOX 7 Austin Digital Team
Published  November 6, 2022 11:39am CST
2022 Midterm Elections
FOX 7 Austin

AUSTIN, Texas - We are less than a month away from the midterm elections, and the Texas attorney general seat is in play. Incumbent Republican Ken Paxton is facing challenger Rochelle Garza in his run for reelection.

According to the latest polls, Rochelle Garza is closer than any other Democrat to actually winning a state-wide race. 

In October, polls showed Garza was at 37% among likely voters compared to Paxton's 51%.

The two big topics in this year's election: abortion rights and border security.

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Attorney General candidate Rochelle Garza (left) and current AG Ken Paxton (right)

Texas Attorney General Candidates:

Ken Paxton, Republican

In November 2014, Paxton became the 51st Attorney General of Texas. He was re-elected to a second term in 2018. He also previously served as Texas State Senator for the 8th district and the Texas State Representative for the 70th district.

Paxton is running for re-election in 2022. On May 24, Paxton defeated George P. Bush 68% to 32%, winning his party's nomination to advance to the November 2022 general election.

Paxton has been vocal on wanting to secure the Texas border. He has sued the Biden Administration several times due to "the disastrous crisis that is exhausting local law enforcement officials."

WASHINGTON, DC - ARPIL 26: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to reporters after the Supreme Court oral arguments in the Biden v. Texas case at the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Sarah Silb

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Paxton has also been a vocal supporter of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that established a constitutional right to abortion nearly 50 years ago. Soon after, Texas’ "trigger law" went into effect, essentially banning all abortions except those needed to save the life of a pregnant person.

If Paxton is reelected for a third term, his continued initiatives will be:

  • Human trafficking
  • Border security
  • Election integrity
  • Big tech
  • Cyber safety for children
  • Opioid crisis

For more information on what Paxton stands for, click here.

Rochelle Garza, Democrat

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 18: Candidate for Texas Attorney General Rochelle Garza speaks at a "Get Out The Vote" rally on October 18, 2022 in Houston, Texas. With less than three weeks away from the midterm election, Democratic gubernatorial candidate

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During Rochelle Garza's campaign, she introduced herself as a Rio Grande Valley native and likes to call herself a fronteriza. She is also the daughter of two public school teachers.

She has been named the underdog in the Texas AG race, as she has low-name recognition and a fundraising disadvantage. 

Garza became a civil rights lawyer, fighting for children, immigrants, and families. During Former President Trump's term, she fought to keep families together at the border. At the time, Trump implemented "zero tolerance" immigration policies of family separation and denied access to asylum. Garza also fought for reproductive rights for immigrant teens in detention

Rochelle was a staff attorney at the ACLU of Texas and a managing partner of Garza & Garza Law, PLLC.

RECENT COVERAGE: AG candidate Rochelle Garza talks going from daughter of educators to civil rights attorney

If elected as the Texas Attorney General, her top issues are:

  • Health care
  • Protecting civil rights
  • Consumer protection
  • Legalizing cannabis
  • Immigration and the Texas border

For more information on what Garza stands for, click here.

Mark Ash, Libertarian

Mark Ash's career experience includes working as an attorney with Mark Ash & Associates, PC.

On Friday, Oct. 27, Ash said he was not endorsing Rochelle Garza. He went on to state, "She and I do not agree on some issues and therefore, I will not and cannot endorse her."

However, Ash also stated that Garza is a "better candidate than Ken Paxton."

He has not withdrawn his candidacy. 

What does the Texas Attorney General do?

The Texas attorney general is the lawyer for the State of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to:

  • Defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas
  • Represent the State in litigation
  • Approve public bond issues

Attorney general races are held every 4 years. There are no term limits for the position.

The Texas 2022 Midterm Elections take place Tuesday, Nov. 8.