Chip Roy

AUSTIN — The GOP runoff for attorney general has become one of the most expensive contests in the state, with state Sen. Mayes Middleton and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy pouring more than $16 million into the race since late February.

The spending spree has dwarfed every other non-federal statewide runoff on the ballot ahead of the May 26 contest. Early voting is underway and ends Friday.

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In recent weeks, their spending has funded ads by Roy featuring support from Sen. Ted Cruz while Middleton has hammered his message that he is the candidate more closely aligned with President Donald Trump.

Trump has not endorsed in the race.

Middleton has largely self-funded his campaign, tapping his family’s oil and ranching business to bankroll his bid to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton. Middleton’s campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

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Middleton’s most recent campaign finance report filed late Monday showed that the Galveston lawmaker gave $3.1 million to his campaign while loaning it $5 million. That brings Middleton’s total personal cash obligation to his campaign to over $20 million.

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Meanwhile, Roy picked up the support of Alex Fairly, an Amarillo businessman and frequent donor to Republicans whose political action committee gave Roy’s campaign $2.75 million, including forgiving a previous $1 million loan.

"We need someone who's shown that they have the experience and the preparation to do the job,” Fairly said in an interview Tuesday.

Support from Fairly and other big donors since late February has been a boon for a campaign that has been outfunded and outspent by Middleton’s personal wealth.

“I am humbled by the political and financial support from Texans all over the state,” Roy posted on social media. “Turns out there are a lot of folks who want a qualified attorney as Attorney General of Texas.”

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Roy reported raising $7.9 million, while Middleton’s campaign said it had added $5.7 million.Both have spent heavily leading up to the runoff.

Middleton was the top vote-getter in the primary with 39% to Roy’s 32% in a four-way race. It was an unexpected result for Roy, who entered the race with greater name recognition and had said he might win the GOP primary outright.

Middleton spent far more than Roy leading up to the primary casting himself as “MAGA Mayes.” He has focused his attacks on Roy’s comments after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, accusing Roy of betraying Trump after Roy described Trump’s actions as “impeachable conduct.”

Since the primary, Roy has tried to brand Middleton as “Mecca Mayes,” leaning into anti-Muslim rhetoric that has surfaced in several Republican campaigns. Roy has zeroed in on a 2025 bill Middleton authored that would have extended certain land-use exemptions to mosques and other religious institutions.

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It’s been a far more pugilistic and expensive fight than the Democratic runoff.

In that race, former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski reported that he raised about $264,000 and spent $203,000. Dallas state Sen. Nathan Johnson, who finished first in the primary, brought in about $366,000 for his campaign while spending $443,000.