State Sen. Mayes Middleton told attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday he鈥檚 the true MAGA candidate on the ballot for Texas Attorney General.
In the the upcoming Republican primary runoff election for attorney general, Middleton 鈥� who received about 39% of the vote in the four-person Republican primary 鈥� faces Congressman Chip Roy, who got about 32% of the primary vote.
Middleton pointed to Roy's past criticism of President Donald Trump during his speech at the conservative conference in Grapevine.
鈥淥ur voters are just not going to forgive someone that has spent 10 years fighting against the president like Chip Roy has,鈥� Middleton said. 鈥淗e actually said that President Trump needed to be impeached.鈥�
Roy previously said in a that Trump鈥檚 conduct during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol during President Joe Biden鈥檚 inauguration was 鈥渃learly impeachable鈥� but called the Democrats鈥� articles of impeachment flawed.
Roy's campaign said in an emailed response to 四虎影院 Roy has a strong relationship with Trump.
鈥淎ctions matter more than campaign rhetoric," the statement said. "Chip Roy is the highest rated Texas Congressional member voting in line with the GOP platform and Trump Agenda. It鈥檚 why President Trump said Chip was doing a good job in Corpus Christi a few weeks ago. President Trump knows the work Chip puts in.鈥�
Middleton, who at the CPAC event touted his conservative record on transgender issues and his Christian faith, said he鈥檚 the candidate who can be counted on to support the president.
鈥淲e need someone in that office like me who will use every resource and tool to back up President Trump and his America First agenda, and that is exactly what I will do,鈥� Middleton said.
Roy told the ahead of the primary election the state needs an attorney general who's independent, not blindly loyal to the president.
鈥淵ou need somebody who鈥檚 demonstrated strength and independence,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to defend the state of Texas, defend our borders, defend our streets, keep it safe and defend ourselves against the federal government interfering with us, no matter who鈥檚 there.鈥�
Voter turnout for runoff elections tends to be low and more ideologically extreme, said University of Texas at Dallas political science professor Thomas Gray.
That, Gray says, favors Middleton, who he sees as the more right-wing candidate.
鈥淚f you do get this selection down towards the most passionate, animated voters, that's probably going to benefit him,鈥� he said.
The runoff election is scheduled for May 26.
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