U.S. Representative Chip Roy, a three-term Republican who represents Texas’ 21st Congressional District and is a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, said on 21 August he will run for Texas attorney general in the 2026 election. In a video released the same day, Roy said he is seeking to “defend Texas at every turn,” citing the state’s tradition of “liberty, freedom and self-determination.” Roy’s candidacy sets up a Republican primary to succeed Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is leaving the post to challenge Senator John Cornyn in next year’s U.S. Senate race. Roy’s decision means his Hill seat, considered safely Republican, will be open in the 2026 midterms, potentially altering the balance of the Freedom Caucus in the next Congress.