The Republican primary in the Attorney General’s race had another wild twist Monday evening when Louie Gohmert, the Tea Party congressman and outspoken Trump enthusiast, declared he was officially a candidate.
Gohmert had fueled speculation that he was going to run when he announced that he was exploring that option. That event was particularly chaotic as a live feed failed to operate. However, video of the event shows Gohmert talking about Ken Paxton’s legal woes. “We could lose that seat,” he said.
There was a lot of drama Monday about whether Gohmert would actually file since he had a self-imposed deadline of raising 1 million over ten days. Ultimately, Gohmert made his announcement on Newsmax saying that he had achieved his fundraising goal.
With Gohmert jumping in, another candidate jumped out. And though State Rep. Matt Krause ended his bid for attorney general, he is now running for Tarrant County District Attorney. Earlier this month Republican incumbent Sharen Wilson announced she was not running for re-election. Krause gained infamy earlier this year when he launched an investigation into books at school districts and libraries.
Other Republicans still in the primary for attorney general include current Land Commissioner George P. Bush and Eva Guzman, a former Republican member of the Texas Supreme Court. Bush courted the Trump endorsement, but ultimately was given the cold shoulder.
For now current Attorney General Ken Paxton appears to have all the momentum. Polls show him comfortably on top in the Republican primary, though they were conducted before this latest shakeup.
And Gohmert could be on to something in regards to Paxton’s legal woes. Six years ago he was indicted by a grand jury for felony securities fraud. He is also allegedly being investigated by the FBI for a separate incident of bribery and abuse of office.
Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
A longtime writer and journalist, Jessica was thrilled to join the Texas Signal where she could utilize her unique perspective on politics and culture. As the Features and Opinion Editor, she is responsible for coordinating editorials and segments from diverse authors. She is also the host of the podcast the Tex Mix, as well as the co-host for the weekly SignalCast. Jessica attended Harvard College, is a onetime fitness blogger, and has now transitioned to recreational runner (for which her joints are thankful).
