Fort Worth Republican Matt Krause running in election for Texas attorney general

Fort Worth Republican Rep. Matt Krause is the latest candidate to launch a 2022 bid against embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for his statewide office.

Krause on Wednesday announced his bid for the seat. Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman have previously announced campaigns for attorney general in the Republican primary. On the Democratic side, civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt, who represents the families of Atatiana Jefferson and Botham Jean, is running for attorney general, as well as Galveston lawyer Joe Jaworski.

“I can bring a faithful, conservative fighter to that position to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect the values and liberties of Texans while pushing back against a Biden and Harris administration that too often seeks to exert too much influence into the lives of Texans,” Krause said.

Krause, who practiced constitutional law before serving in the legislature, has represented House District 93 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2013. In seeking statewide office, Krause will not again run for his House seat.

Krause pointed to his legislative record and experience in the state legislature as what differentiates him from other candidates. Voters could expect to see similarities between him and Paxton when it comes to policies, he said. But Krause said turnover and allegations related to abuse of office concern him and factored into his decision to run.

Paxton, who took office in 2015, is facing federal felony securities fraud charges. He is separately under investigation by the FBI for allegedly using his office to benefit a political donor, according to the Associated Press.

“Anytime you have that kind of environment surrounding an office, it takes your focus off the ability, not necessarily to do anything good for Texans, but most effective and the best things for Texas,” Krause said.

While in the Texas Legislature, Krause has served on the House Criminal Justice Reform Caucus and the Texas Freedom Caucus. He serves on the Culture, Recreation and Tourism committee, the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, and as chairman of the General Investigating committee. He currently works as a vice president for Vista Bank.

Paxton’s office has recently gotten attention for suing school districts over efforts to implement mask mandates, despite an order from Gov. Greg Abbott banning them. Krause said he thinks it’s proper for the office to get involved to let districts know they cannot violate the order.

“I don’t think it’s ever healthy for society when certain levels of government are just outright defying... the governor’s office,” Krause said.

Asked about Paxton’s 2020 challenge to election results in four battleground states after the November election, Krause said that as attorney general it’s important to consider success and precedent in addition to vindicating rights.

“While I understand what General Paxton was going for there, I think everybody who you talked to across the political spectrum and across the legal spectrum understood that that had no chance at succeeding, and had it succeeded, I think it could have set a very dangerous precedent for the federalizing of elections going forward,” Krause said.