U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert considering run for Texas attorney general in GOP primary

AUSTIN – U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert said Tuesday he is considering entering the crowded Republican primary contest for Texas attorney general and is soliciting donations for an exploratory committee.

Gohmert, 68, made the announcement in Tyler, his hometown, according to a video posted to Facebook by David Stein, chairman of the Smith County Republican Party. A website detailing Gohmert's plans also went live on Tuesday.

"Here's the problem: I have no money to run such a race and we're about three and a half months from that election," Gohmert said in the video. "If I receive $1 million in campaign contributions by Nov. 19, then I'll know I have the seed money and can raise more and make this a winning race."

"If I have that money raised by Nov. 19, I am all in," he said.

Gohmert filed documents with the Texas Ethics Commission on Tuesday to appoint a new campaign treasurer for an attorney general run. The deadline for candidates to file to appear on the March 1 primary ballot is Dec. 13.

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Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking a third term and already faces three high-profile Republican challengers: Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and state Rep. Matt Krause of Fort Worth.

Paxton has been under indictment since 2015 for 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.

The new Gohmert website references Paxton's legal woes, arguing that the state needs "a Texas Attorney General whose top attorneys working for him have not found it necessary to send a letter to the FBI urging an investigation into corruption of their boss."

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"Keep in mind, under Texas law, if someone wins a Texas primary and is indicted after the primary, his name cannot be removed from the ballot," the website reads, warning that the situation could deliver the position to a Democrat.

Gohmert was first elected to Congress in 2004 and previously served as chief justice of the Texas 12th Court of Appeals. He has been a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and has echoed his baseless claims that voter fraud tainted the 2020 election results.

Gohmert defended the people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 during a speech in the U.S. House earlier this year and filed an unsuccessful lawsuit seeking to empower Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

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The website launched Tuesday seeks to raise $1 million for Gohmert's exploratory committee, but the math presented on the website includes an error: "Louie needs 100,000 citizens to send $100 each (or any other amount to get to $1,000,000) by November 19."

If 100,000 people sent $100 each, that would be $10 million — not $1 million.

Hours after Gohmert's website went live, state Rep. Matt Schaefer, R-Tyler, said he was eying Gohmert's congressional seat in light of Tuesday's news.

"Jasilyn & I are prayerfully considering our next steps as a family in light of Con. Gohmert’s announcement he may leave Congress and run for Tx AG," Schaefer said in a tweet, referring to his wife. "We welcome the prayers of family & friends to ask God to place people in office who would honor Him, & seek His wisdom."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Louie Gohmert considering run for Texas attorney general