Trump ally Chip Roy suffers stunning Texas runoff defeat after rival spends millions branding himself the true MAGA candidate
Texas – One of Congress’ most recognizable conservative Republicans suffered a major political setback Tuesday night after Texas Rep. Chip Roy lost the Republican runoff for attorney general to state Sen. Mayes Middleton in a race dominated by MAGA messaging, personal attacks, and massive campaign spending.
Roy, who has represented Texas in Congress since 2019 and built a national reputation as a hardline conservative voice, was defeated by Middleton by a surprisingly wide margin after months of bitter campaigning inside the Republican Party.
When the Associated Press called the race, Middleton was leading comfortably with roughly 55.7% of the vote compared to Roy’s 44.3%.
The result immediately reshaped the race to replace outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton, who decided not to seek another term after launching his successful Senate campaign against incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn.
Because Democrats have not won a Texas attorney general race since 1994, Middleton now enters the general election as the heavy favorite against Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas.
The defeat marks a striking political moment for Roy, who spent years building influence among conservative voters nationwide by fighting Republican leadership on spending bills, border security, and government policy.
Yet despite Roy’s strong conservative credentials, Middleton managed to successfully portray himself as the race’s true MAGA candidate — even without securing an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
“MAGA Mayes” strategy reshaped race
Middleton leaned heavily into Trump-style politics throughout the runoff and repeatedly branded himself as “MAGA Mayes” during the campaign.
One of his biggest lines of attack focused on Roy’s criticism of Trump following the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021.
Although Roy has long been viewed as deeply conservative, Middleton used those comments to raise doubts among Republican primary voters about Roy’s loyalty to Trump and the MAGA movement.
That strategy appears to have worked.
Middleton also held a massive financial advantage fueled largely by his personal fortune. The Galveston Republican, who is also an oil company president, poured enormous amounts of money into the race while aggressively attacking Roy across television, digital advertising, and campaign mailers.
Reports showed Middleton spent more than $11 million of his own money directly targeting Roy, while broader campaign totals suggested he invested over $15 million overall into the race.
The financial flood allowed Middleton to dominate messaging during key moments of the campaign.
The contest also revived old tensions involving Ken Paxton.
Years earlier, Roy publicly called on Paxton to resign during the attorney general’s 2020 bribery and abuse-of-office scandal. That history created friction between Roy and parts of the Texas Republican base still strongly loyal to Paxton and Trump.
Neither Roy nor Middleton secured Trump’s official endorsement before the runoff, though Roy did receive backing from several congressional Republicans.
Still, in a Texas GOP increasingly shaped by Trump-aligned politics, Middleton’s decision to fully embrace MAGA branding gave him a powerful advantage with primary voters.
Conservative identity battle inside Texas GOP
The race became about far more than traditional conservative policy debates.
Roy attempted to present himself as a longtime proven conservative fighter, pointing toward his record in Congress where he frequently battled Republican leadership and pushed aggressive border policies.
He also became known nationally for promoting causes tied to conservative cultural issues, including his involvement with the “Sharia Free America” caucus.
But Middleton successfully reframed the race into a loyalty contest centered around Trump and the MAGA movement.
That broader shift reflects the changing political reality inside Republican primaries, where ideological conservatism alone is no longer always enough. Loyalty to Trump and alignment with MAGA identity increasingly carry equal or even greater weight among Republican voters.
Middleton’s victory now positions him as the likely next attorney general of Texas while raising new questions about Roy’s future political path after one of the most significant defeats of his career.
At the same time, the runoff offered another clear sign that Texas Republican politics continues moving deeper into Trump-centered territory — even in races where Trump himself never formally endorsed a candidate.
