This Race Could Turn The Attorney General’s Office Into A Force For Good
It’s not just another race. It’s a chance to flip one of the most powerful offices in Texas.
Amid the usual Texas political madness, we finally got a jolt of good news. Two popular, high-profile Democrats have jumped into the race for Attorney General, and the primary just got a lot more interesting.
On Tuesday, Dallas Senator Nathan Johnson announced his candidacy with the Dallas Morning News. Then, this morning, former Galveston mayor Joe Jaworski launched his campaign as well.
It’s only July, and we still don’t know who else might join this race, but it’s already shaping up to be pretty exciting. This is a race we’ll discuss plenty over the next year and a half. I’m looking forward to seeing the candidates’ positions on key issues and who would win in a debate.
We’re so used to living under a fascist Republican Attorney General, I’m not sure we’ve even had the conversation about what it would look like to have a Democratic Attorney General, one who was fighting for the people. And why this seat is going to be so crucial in 2026, in the last two years of the orange one, when AI is taking off, and our climate is collapsing.
What does the Texas Attorney General actually do?
A lot more than most folks realize. The AG is essentially the state’s top lawyer, but also its top political advocate. They decide who to sue, who to protect, what laws to defend, and which ones to ignore. They can fight for civil rights, go after corporate polluters, protect abortion access, or, if you’re a Republican, waste millions suing school districts and terrorizing trans kids.
This office touches everything. And in Texas? It’s been used as a weapon for decades.
Ken Paxton used the AG’s office as a weapon.
He tried to overturn the 2020 election by suing other states to block Biden’s win. He’s spent years attacking trans kids. He sued school districts for daring to protect students during COVID. He refused to defend state agencies that did something vaguely progressive, but happily defended unconstitutional Republican laws like the abortion bounty bill.
But what would it look like if we had a Texas Attorney General working for the people?
Imagine an AG who goes after polluters, not pregnant women. One who protects voters and workers, instead of billionaires and bigots. Someone who uses the office to defend our rights, not drag us back to 1850.
They could fight voter suppression, sue corporate landlords and price gougers, protect trans families, and actually say the words “climate change” without bursting into flames.
It’s the job. We’ve just never seen it done right in Texas.
Will Lone Star Left be endorsing in this race?
Right now, that’s my intention, although it’s still too early for the primary season yet, especially considering there are still five months left for candidates to file.
While I know both Senator Johnson and Jaworski, and am friendly with them both, I will be looking out for some key opinions in their campaigns. These issues are important to me, and I’ll explain why they should matter to you as well. The candidate I ultimately endorse will align closest with these ideals.
Are you familiar with Texas history?
No, I don’t mean cattle trails and Spindletop and all the whitewashed bullshit they fed us in public school. I’m talking about the real Texas history, the sundown towns, the segregation that never really ended, and the police departments that still treat Black and brown Texans like second-class citizens, especially in smaller towns where no one’s watching.
That’s why we need an Attorney General who’s not afraid to dig into it.
We need someone who will investigate police departments with patterns of abuse or racial profiling, not cover for them. Someone who will expand the Civil Rights Division, put it on the map, and use it to go after housing discrimination, healthcare discrimination, and hate crimes. Actually, do the work.
Because if Texas is ever going to change, it has to start with someone in power willing to say, “enough.”
If Ken Paxton can fight to destroy democracy, a Democratic AG can fight to preserve democracy.
Texas has passed some of the worst voter suppression laws in the country. A Democratic AG could file amicus briefs siding against the state in key voter suppression cases. He (or she) could refuse to defend laws they believe are unconstitutional. They could help local election officials or civil rights organizations with legal strategy, referrals, or public support.
And just as importantly, they could use the biggest microphone in state government to call this stuff what it is, a coordinated effort to silence Black and brown voters, poor folks, young people, and anyone who might dare vote for change.
A good AG would show up and fight like hell to stop it.
Local control in Texas has been destroyed under Republicans. The ideal AG would be a strong defender of local power.
The Texas GOP is obsessed with preemption, from stopping cities from passing paid sick leave to mask mandates and climate protections. A Democratic AG could side with cities in lawsuits, support home rule, and challenge unconstitutional preemption laws.
They could also help local DAs push back when attacked for not enforcing right-wing priorities.
Environmental justice is one of the most pressing issues humanity is facing, and Texas is at the forefront.
This is a tough issue for too many Democrats running for office in Texas, because Texas has historically been an oil and gas state, but we’re also the largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in North America.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has consistently failed to regulate polluters for years. The right Attorney General candidate would show a willingness to sue industrial polluters (refineries, petrochemical plants) for violating clean air and water laws.
They should also back communities trying to stop toxic site approvals (especially in Black and Latino neighborhoods). Stop the cancer clusters before they’re even built.
We deserve an Attorney General who holds the line.
While Lone Star Left Podcast won’t be back in full swing until January, I’ve decided to make an exception. I’ll be hosting two special episodes this summer, one featuring Joe Jaworski and another with Senator Nathan Johnson. If they accept, of course.
I want to hear directly from them on the issues we just talked about:
Civil rights enforcement.
Local control.
Fighting voter suppression.
Taking on polluters.
Using the AG’s office actually to serve the people of Texas.
So stay tuned, I’ll let y’all know when I get those scheduled. I’m looking forward to digging into their visions, their priorities, and whether they’re ready to fight the way this moment demands.
This isn’t just about flipping a seat. It’s about building a firewall between the people of Texas and the extremist agenda coming from the right and doing it with courage, clarity, and an actual plan.
We’ve seen what happens when this office is used to punish, persecute, and protect the powerful.
Now let’s imagine what it could look like if it were used to protect us.
(In order of campaign announcements)
Learn more about Senator Nathan Johnson on his website.
Learn more about Joe Jaworski on his website.
July 25: First day of special session
August 23: Last day of special session
November 4: Constitutional/TX18/SD09 Election
Click here to find out what Legislative districts you’re in.
LoneStarLeft is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Follow me on Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, and Instagram.
Thank you for your hard work, Michelle!
I can’t wait for this Education of who will fight for The People! I grew up in a red line city so as a grown person I fight for the younger me! Although red lining is over. I’m not sure that generational poverty is.