State Sen. Nathan Johnson, a Dallas Democrat, is running for Texas attorney general in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Mayes Middleton and Libertarian Tom Oxford.

Asked why he is running, Johnson said in our candidate questionnaire: "In the 2023 impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, I found him guilty and voted to convict on 14 of 16 articles of impeachment. … The trial demonstrated the enormous power of the Attorney General's Office—and convinced me that, under the right leadership, the OAG can be as powerfully good as it has been powerfully bad under Paxton."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Education: "University of Arizona, B.S.; University of Texas, J.D.

Family: Three adult children.

Experience and public service

Johnson has served as state senator for District 16 since 2019, according to the Texas State Senate website. He represents nearly a million people in Dallas County. He was first elected in 2018. He serves as vice chair of the Committee on Jurisprudence and as a member of the Committee on Transportation.

Johnson practices law at Thompson Coburn LLP, specializing in trial litigation and dispute resolution. He also composed musical scores for the anime series Dragon Ball Z and classical music for the concert stage.

Asked about his work history, Johnson said in our questionnaire: "I've spent decades as a commercial litigator and, more recently, as a mediator, handling matters across a wide range of industries. … My eight years in the Texas Senate have given me the political skills, institutional knowledge, relationships, and perspective necessary to lead the OAG effectively and serve the public interest."

On the issues

Top three priorities: Johnson said in our questionnaire: "First, end corruption and rebuild the OAG. Public power must never serve private or partisan interests. I will end the use of the OAG as a political weapon and rebuild the agency by hiring talented, ethical professionals. Second, protect consumers and competition. I will elevate consumer protection and antitrust enforcement, targeting consolidation, predatory pricing, fraud, scams, and market manipulation. … Third, make government work. I will protect Texans' rights and Texas's authority by challenging unlawful federal actions, partner with local prosecutors and law enforcement to improve public safety, and work with agencies, legislators, and businesses to ensure laws are understood, followed, and fairly enforced."

Differences from opponents: Johnson said: "We have fundamentally different approaches to the Attorney General's Office. I will use its power as the framers intended: as a check against abuse of power by anyone, in the public or private sector. My opponent has promised to use it as a tool of partisan warfare. … Voters deserve an Attorney General who serves Texas—not a political party."

Consumer protection: Johnson said: "The Trump administration has severely weakened federal consumer protection, leaving state attorneys general to fill the gap. I will make consumer protection a priority, working with AGs of either party to combat fintech abuses, elder fraud, charity scams, crypto schemes, price fixing, deceptive pricing, and junk fees."

Past accomplishments: Johnson said in our questionnaire: "As a state senator, I advanced legislation regarding payday lending, insurance and roofing fraud, market competition, social media regulation, ticket sales regulations and disclosures, and more. … I passed a law to protect people – particularly vulnerable adults – against the use of AI for financial exploitation, and adding AI-generated scams to the Texas criminal code."

Suing the federal government: Johnson said: "I will sue or join multistate litigation whenever the federal government violates federal law, regulations, or the Constitution and harms Texans. … But my relationship with the federal government will not be antagonistic for its own sake or driven by partisan theatrics."

Child support: Johnson said: "I will modernize Texas's child support system to improve collections, compliance, and service for families. First, I will modernize payment systems, including convenient phone-based options, and work directly with employers to facilitate payroll deductions. … I will increase caseworker pay and advancement opportunities and reduce caseloads, helping recruit and retain experienced professionals."