John Bash, a former U.S. Attorney and current legal counsel to tech billionaire Elon Musk, officially launched his campaign to become the next Texas Attorney General on Wednesday, becoming the first candidate to enter the race for the statewide office in 2026.
Bash, a partner at the high-profile law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, said he is stepping into the race because of the pivotal role the Texas attorney general's office plays in shaping national legal battles.
"The Texas attorney general’s office is at the forefront of all the critical legal issues facing the country, and that office should be led by the strongest possible attorney – one who is battle-tested and will be ready on Day 1," Bash said in a statement to The Hill.
His announcement comes just one day after current Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) confirmed he will not seek re-election and instead will run for U.S. Senate, launching a primary challenge against fellow Republican Sen. John Cornyn.
“We have another great U.S. senator, Ted Cruz, and it’s time we have another great senator that will actually stand up and fight for Republican values... and also support Donald Trump,” Paxton said Tuesday in a Fox News interview.
With Paxton shifting his political ambitions to the national stage, Bash enters a race likely to draw considerable attention — and competition — in the coming months. Known for his polished legal credentials and strong connections to conservative circles, Bash is positioning himself as an experienced and formidable candidate with deep courtroom and political experience.
A graduate of Harvard Law School, Bash clerked for two prominent conservative justices, the late Antonin Scalia and current Justice Brett Kavanaugh. From 2012 to 2017, he served as Assistant to the Solicitor General at the U.S. Department of Justice, and later as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas during the Trump administration.
More recently, Bash has represented Elon Musk in a high-stakes defamation case in Texas, further cementing his ties to powerful Republican-aligned figures. Musk, a vocal political force and staunch advocate of deregulation, has increasingly thrown his support behind conservative causes and candidates in recent years.
Though he has never held elected office, Bash emphasized his readiness to take on the state’s top legal post, citing a career that spans hundreds of cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and a focus on complex appellate and investigative matters.
“I’ve represented clients facing the toughest legal challenges,” Bash said. “I know what it takes to fight and win — and that’s what I plan to do for the people of Texas.”
While other candidates are expected to join the race, Bash’s early entry — and high-profile connections — may give him a head start in fundraising and institutional support.
