Paxton’s office nearly tripled its announcements during his Senate campaign, including an unrequested legal opinion attacking his opponent

What happened

The Dallas Morning News counted 40 announcements from the attorney general’s office in 2022, 96 in 2024, 139 in 2025, and 102 in just the first four and a half months of 2026, with 34 in February before the March primary. The office announced 30 lawsuits from January to mid-May, double the 2025 pace. ⁰¹

On Jan. 19, 2026, the office released a 74-page opinion declaring more than 100 state diversity laws unconstitutional. Experts said it was unusual because no one appears to have requested it, and its press release wrongly claimed it was binding. The opinion attacked Sen. John Cornyn, who asked whether it was “an illegal, in-kind contribution to his campaign.” ⁰²

In March 2026, Paxton dropped Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who had voted to impeach him in 2023, as a client in the state’s voucher lawsuit, called him an “incompetent loser” and said “It’s time for him to be fired.” A federal judge let the office withdraw only if Hancock found new lawyers. ^{03 04}

Why it matters

The attorney general’s office is paid for by taxpayers. Its output surged while Paxton was on the ballot, and it was used to attack his primary opponent and a state official who had voted to impeach him. ^{01 02 03}

What the sources show

The announcement counts come from the Dallas Morning News’ tally. The opinion and the comptroller dispute are documented in Texas Tribune reporting and court filings. ^{01 02 03 04}