Louie Gohmert enters race for Texas attorney general as Matt Krause exits
U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, is running for Texas attorney general, entering the crowded Republican primary race for the seat after teasing a run earlier this month.
"Texas I am officially running to be your next Attorney General and will enforce the rule of law," Gohmert said in a tweet Monday after announcing his campaign during an appearance on the conservative news outlet Newsmax.
As Gohmert entered the race, another Republican challenger dropped out: state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth. Krause said he was withdrawing to run instead for Tarrant County district attorney, as first reported by WFAA late Monday.
More: U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert considering run for Texas attorney general in GOP primary
Two other Republicans are challenging incumbent Ken Paxton, who is seeking reelection to a third term: Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman.
Gohmert, Bush and Guzman all have zeroed in on Paxton's legal woes in their campaigns, arguing that he has been under a cloud of impropriety for too long.
Paxton has been under indictment since 2015 on securities fraud charges tied to private business dealings and is the subject of a federal investigation stemming from allegations made by former officials within his agency that he used his office improperly to help a friend and political contributor. Paxton has denied wrongdoing in both cases.
Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Paxton, who filed numerous lawsuits to defend administration policies while Trump was in office and frequently challenges President Joe Biden. Paxton filed an unsuccessful legal challenge to the election results in four states won by Biden and spoke at the Jan. 6 rally in Washington that preceded the riot at the Capitol, urging Trump supporters to keep fighting.
More: Trump rewards Ken Paxton's support with key endorsement in GOP primary
Gohmert, who was first elected to Congress in 2004, also has been a vocal supporter of Trump and defended the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol during a speech in the U.S. House earlier this year. He also filed an unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to empower Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
On Nov. 9, Gohmert said he was considering leaving his seat in Congress to run for Texas attorney general, citing Paxton's legal battles as a motivating factor. He said he would attempt to raise $1 million by Nov. 19 and, if successful, he'd officially enter the race. Gohmert said during his appearance on Newsmax that he had reached that threshold.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Louie Gohmert enters, Matt Krause exits Texas attorney general race
