August 13th , 2026 Len’s Political Note #831 Nathan M. Johnson Texas Attorney General
2026 General Election
Nathan M Johnson
A rising tide lifts all boats. Texas Democrats may be experiencing a rising tide.
In the most recent poll, Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico led the current Attorney General Ken Paxton by 5 points. In the most recent poll, Texas Democratic Governor candidate trailed the incumbent Republican by a single point. And in the most recent poll, Texas Democratic Attorney General candidate Nathan M. Johnson trailed the Republican nominee Mayes Middleton by a point.
Nathan M. Johnson says his opponent Mayes Middleton “thinks he can buy the Attorney General’s office, just like he bought the Republican AG nomination.”
Forty-four year old Republican Mayes Middleton has been buying things all his life. He would be appropriately described as football coach Barry Switzer said of rich kid football players “Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple”. I wish Governor of Texas Ann Richards, had said that of George HW Bush, but the fact checkers say she did not.
Mayes Middleton was the only heir of Middleton Oil, of which he is now President and CEO. A holding company, in addition to oil interests it holds ranching, cattle, farming and other businesses. We are not supposed to find out the extent of his wealth and all of the sources of his wealth. I did not.
Mayes Middleton is a true believer in hard right politics. He was an early investor in the Empower Texans PAC that targeted the relatively moderate Repulican Texas powerhouse House Speaker Joe Straus. The PAC funded candidates in primaries in order to win control of the Texas House and Senate.
Perhaps to his credit, Mayes Middleton did not sit on the sidelines. If not to his credit, definitely associated with his cash, he ran for office himself. When he ran for the Texas House, the average amount spent on a race was about $350,000. Middleton spent $2.3 million to win his race. When Middleton decided it was time to move up to the Senate, the incumbent urged him to wait another term. Middleton refused to wait. The incumbent dropped out of the race.
Middleton saw little or no value in Ken Paxton as Attorney General. He funded Paxton’s Republican opponents to no avail. Now that Paxton is running for the US Senate, Middleton is focused on the Attorney General race for himself. He defeated Chip Roy, a House Freedom Caucus leader, in the Republican primary. Middleton wants the mantle for himself as the right kind of Republican.
Nathan Matthew Johnson is 58 years old and has practiced law since he got his law degree from the University of Texas. He started out on his own, joined a firm, remained in the firm when it merged, and three years ago joined Thompson Coburn as Counsel where he does commercial litigation and, frequently, mediation. The firm notes his role in the Texas State Senate. Originally elected in 2018, he survived gerrymandering by surprisingly defeating the Republican incumbent in whose district he had been placed.
As a legislator, Nathan M. Johnson has focused on health issues. He strove to have Texas adopt the expanded Medicaid provisions allowed under the Affordable Care Act. He worked to expand the definition of palliative care and to legalize the use of fentanyl testing strips. He is particularly proud of that effort to achieve Medicaid expansion. Not that he was able to persuade the Republican dominated legislature to vote to make that change. Failing in the expansion he turned to reforming the Texas marketplace for health insurance. He succeeded in that reform and argues that the changes enabled hundreds of thousands of Texans to be able to purchase private health insurance which otherwise would have been out of their reach. He also argues he had a central role in improving the power grid that had famously very nearly failed. He was able to lead in the effort to restructure energy markets in this state which, surprisingly, is the nation’s leader in the use of renewable energy.
So, he is an experienced litigator and effective legislator. His third area of expertise makes him a triple threat. He is a composer. In November, 2018 one of the magazines that informed the public about Nathan M. Johnson’s success was Billboard Magazine. The Music News section of Billboard reported that the composer for the anime television series “Dragon Ball” had been elected to the Texas State Senate. To confuse matters, Nathan M. Johnson’s cousin Nathan Johnson composed the scores for two television murder mysteries – Knives Out and Glass Onion.
Nathan M. Johnson would be a vast improvement over the incumbent Ken Paxton whose self-serving record as Attorney General should make the electorate welcome an Attorney General who is looking out for the interests of Texas. Nathan M. Johnson is a far better replacement than the Republican candidate who has no need to make money off the Attorney General position, but does have an ideology he is peddling. DONATE to Nathan M. Johnson. Help elect him Attorney General of Texas.
There are Attorney General races around the country. In state after state, candidates for the top legal job in their state differ about how the law should be interpreted for the powerful and the powerless. There are more than a few Democrats worth supporting.
Alabama Former Democratic State Representative Jeff McLaughlin v Chief Counsel to the current Republican Attorney General Katherine Robertson. This is a Republican state – even if they elect Democrat Doug Jones as governor, the AG race is unlikely to be competitive
Arizona. Incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes was elected by the narrowest margin of any Attorney General in 2022. Formerly a Republican and a journalist, she was a faculty member at the University of Arizona’s Law School and is openly a Lesbian. She opposed a national supermarket merger and prosecuted fake members of the electoral college. Her Republican opponent, former State Senate Warren Petersen, sponsored legislation to prohibit gender-affirming surgery for minors and sought the Cyber Ninja audit of the 2020 election in Maricopa county. DONATE to Kris Mayes. See Len’s Political Note #714
California Incumbent Democrat Bob Bonta is being challenged by Republican Michael E Gates a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in Donald Trump’s Justice Department. He is unlikely to gain much traction.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a popular Democrat in a Democratic state is being challenged by County District Attorney Michael J. Allen whose challenge is unlikely to be successful.
Connecticut. Incumbent Democrat William Tong is being challenged by Republican activist John Bolton who lost a race for state rep and is unlikely to win this one.
Delaware: incumbent Democrat Kathy Jennings has no Republican opponent.
Florida: State Senator Jose Javier Rodriguez will face appointed incumbent James Uthmeier who can be held responsible for thinking up Alligator Alcatraz. DONATE to Jose Javier Rodriguez. See Len’s Political Note #736
Georgia: Democratic State Rep Tanya Miller is opposing Republican State Senator Brian Strickland. Tanya Miller founded an injury law practice, was recognized as a super lawyer, and became a homicide prosecutor. Back in private practice, she focuses on wrongful death, complex criminal and civil rights cases. Strickland sponsored legislation to withhold state funds from any library that belongs to the American Library Association, an organization he deems to have an inappropriate ideology. DONATE to Tanya Miller.
Illinois: Incumbent Democrat Kwame Raoul is being challenged by County State’s Attorney Joe Cervantez, who is unlikely to be able to make a dent.
Iowa: Democratic State Rep Nate Willems practices labor and employment law and is challenging Republican incumbent Brenna Bird, who is completing her first term in that role. As AG, she ordered a pause in providing emergency contraception to rape victims and asked a federal court to “vacate a federal rule prohibiting discrimination against disabled people in health care settings.” As a county prosecutor she won a case in the state supreme court arguing that she had not discriminated against a gay man when she fired him. DONATE to Nate Willems. He could win this election.
Kansas: Democrat Chris Mann, nationally known figure in fight against drunk driving who lost a close race to the incumbent Republican Kris Kobach, perhaps the state official who is the strongest opponent of immigrants in the country. DONATE to Chris Mann’s campaign. See Len’s Political Note #752
Maryland: Democratic incumbent Anthony Brown is being challenged by Attorney Jim Rutledge. Do not expect Anthony Brown to have much trouble here.
Massachusetts: Democratic incumbent Andrea Campbell is being challenged by Attorney Mike Walsh. A not uncontroversial politician who grew up in terrible circumstances, Andrea Campbell is unlikely to have difficulty in getting reelected.
Michigan: Democratic county prosecutor Eli Savit v Republican county prosecutor Doug Lloyd. Savit: BA Kalamazoo, JD Michigan, law review. He clerked for two US Appeals Court Judges –for Sandra Day O’Connor on the US Supreme Court and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. He served a chief counsel to Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. He teaches a UM law school and serves as county prosecutor where he has introduced various reforms. Doug Lloyd has been a prosecutor for more than 30 years. He promises to prosecute fairly, to advise legislators to fashion common sense laws, to protect God-given constitutional rights, to oppose political lawfare and weaponized prosecutions, and to root out corruption, stop political overreach, and defend Michigan’s sovereignty. DONATE to Eli Savit’s campaign.
Minnesota: Democratic Incumbent Keith Ellison – progressive and still the highest ranked Muslim politician in the country v Republican hedge fund executive Jim Schultz. Keith Ellison has consistently won close elections. DONATE to his campaign. He has been a courageous leader in a state targeted by the Trump administration.
Nebraska: Democratic Attorney Jocelyn Brasher, a former prosecutor and consumer protection attorney who worked five years in the Attorney General’s office, is challenging the Republican incumbent Mike Hilgers. Creighton Prep, BA Baylor, JD U Chicago. After a distinguished clerkship and practicing intellectual property law, he returned to Nebraska to found his own law firm which grew rapidly. He also entered politics. Eventually Speaker of the Nebraska unicameral legislature. In his first term as AG, he led efforts to prevent Joe Biden from placing emission limits on trucks, opposed legalization of medical marijuana, and sued the Roblox game platform company for exploiting children. He will be difficult to defeat. Try anynow. DONATE to Jocelyn Brasher’s campaign.
Nevada: Democratic State Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro is an advocate for public employees, for affordable and accessible health care including birth control, and for toughening the state’s response to illicit drug dealing and child pornography. She is opposed for this open seat by Republican Cannabis Board Chair Adriana Guzman Fralick. She favors cracking down on drugs and child exploitation, but also wants to end sanctuary cities and secure elections in ways some would consider harsh or dangerous. DONATE to Nicole Cannizzaro and keep the AG office in Democratic hands.
New Mexico. Democratic incumbent Raul Torrez is being challenged by Republican Sam Kane. Raul Torrez focus has been child safety, consumer protection, environmental protection, and government transparency. Sam Kane describes himself as a constitutional conservative. It is not likely he will make a dent in heavily Democratic New Mexico.
New York Democratic incumbent Letitia James is on Donald Trump’s enemies list for her successful law suit against him. She is opposed by Saritha Komatireddy. Despite her distinguished legal background, she is unlikely to challenge Letitia James effectively
North Dakota. Democratic Attorney Tim Lamb is a frequent candidate with little or no likelihood of running successfully against Republican incumbent Drew Wrigley.
Ohio Highly respected, but retired Democratic Attorney John Kulewicz is opposing Republican State Auditor who is part of a musical chairs game being played by Republican officers who have been termed out of the office they are holding. DONATE to John Kulewicz’ campaign. His victory would be a win for Democrats and for Ohio. See Len’s Political Note #775
Oklahoma Former federal prosecutor, Democrat Nick Coffey is opposing former OK House Majority Leader Jon Echols. At 34, Nick Coffey is a young man who has spent the last seven years prosecuting criminal organizations, drug conspiracies, illegal firearms, immigration cases and fraud cases. His Republican opponent Jon Echols led an effort to allow people to carry guns openly with no license requirements. He also led an effort to prohibit transgender surgeries. While a legislator, he started a health provider business. He sought changes in bid requirements so his company could bid on providing health services to the County Jail in Tulsa. DONATE to Nick Coffey. It would be unusual, but he has a chance to win this seat.
South Carolina. Richard Hricik, a successful, even admired personal injury attorney is the Democratic nominee. The Republican nominee is David Stumbo. Stumbo jumped on the bandwagon and announced his intention to prosecute for Medicaid fraud – pointing to the federal effort in Minnesota. Richard Hricik jumped off the fundraising bandwagon. He says he is not raising money for his campaign. Nor is he really self-funding. He is relying on no cost campaigning. Take a look at his website: https://richardforattorneygeneral.com. If you like what he has to say, write a letter to a South Carolina newspaper on his behalf. Call or email and ask how you can help out. 843.284.6163 RichardForSCAG@gmail.com This is quixotic, but you never know.
Vermont: Incumbent Democrat Charity Clark will not be seriously challenged by Republican newsstand owner and frequent candidate H. Brooke Paige.
