AG Races See Record Funding as Positions Gain Political Power | 2026 Elections

A Republican runoff election in Texas, pitting U.S. Representative Chip Roy against state Senator Mayes Middleton, is drawing attention as state attorney general races nationwide become increasingly competitive and financially significant. The contests are attracting unprecedented levels of funding from partisan organizations, corporate donors, and advocacy groups, reflecting the growing influence of these positions in national politics.

Last year, Republican campaign organizations supporting attorney general races raised $29 million, while their Democratic counterparts secured $28 million – double their typical fundraising totals at this stage in the electoral cycle, according to reports. Approximately 30 attorney general positions are up for election this year.

The influx of money reflects the increasing importance of state attorneys general, particularly as vehicles for legal challenges to federal policies. James Tierney, a former Maine attorney general and current Harvard lecturer, noted, “Because we try to solve so many of our problems with lawsuits, the office of attorney general has become more key.”

At least six sitting attorneys general are seeking gubernatorial positions this election cycle, and ten current state governors previously held the role of attorney general. The position is increasingly viewed as a stepping stone to higher office, as evidenced by the consideration of several current and former attorneys general as potential vice presidential candidates during the 2024 presidential campaign.

In Texas, the Republican runoff features Roy and Middleton vying for the nomination to replace current Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is himself engaged in a GOP Senate primary runoff against incumbent John Cornyn. Both Roy and Middleton have emphasized a commitment to combating what they describe as the “Islamification” of Texas, with Middleton stating he would investigate financier George Soros as attorney general. Roy highlighted the advantage of focusing on a single state office rather than being one of 435 members of the U.S. House.

On the Democratic side, state Senator Nathan Johnson and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski are competing for their party’s nomination. While Democratic victories statewide in Texas remain challenging, the attorney general race is part of a broader national strategy by Democrats to target traditionally Republican territories.

Nationally, Democratic attorneys general are actively challenging Trump administration policies, having filed over 80 lawsuits with largely favorable outcomes. Following the Supreme Court’s invalidation of earlier trade penalties, 24 Democratic officials, including 22 attorneys general and two governors, filed suit against the administration regarding tariff implementation. Sean Rankin, president of the Democratic Attorneys General Association, described his organization’s members as “the only lever to hold Trump accountable” given Republican control of Congress.

In Arizona, Attorney General Kris Mayes, who won her election by a mere 280 votes, has initiated 38 legal challenges against federal policies, preserving $1.5 billion in funding for Arizona programs. Her Republican challenger, Rodney Glassman, is campaigning on ending these legal challenges, characterizing them as “clickbait” driven by partisan motivations. Glassman has pledged to halt criminal prosecutions initiated by Mayes against Trump associates.

Priority battlegrounds for both parties include swing states like Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin, as well as opportunities for Democrats in Georgia, Kansas, and Ohio, and for Republicans in Minnesota and New York.