Incumbent
Joan Huffman
IncumbentJoan Huffman
Texas Republican Attorney General nominee?
$295.5K
MAY 27, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleState Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age69 years old (Aug 17, 1956)
GenderFemale
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LocationTexas
BackgroundAttorney
EducationLouisiana State University — B.A.
Notable personal detailsJoan J. Huffman is a Republican attorney and politician who has represented Texas Senate District 17 since 2008. She previously worked in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, serving as a prosecutor and later as chief felony prosecutor, and was elected judge of the 183rd Criminal District Court in Harris County. She earned a B.A. from Louisiana State University and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law. She has chaired major Texas Senate committees including Finance and State Affairs and served as president pro tempore of the Texas Senate from 2019 to 2021.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Joan Huffman supports conservative fiscal policy that emphasizes tax relief for homeowners and businesses, restrained government spending, and targeted tax exemptions. As chair of the Senate Finance Committee she sponsored budgets prioritizing large property tax cuts and conservative budgeting principles while proposing selective spending on priorities such as teacher pay and infrastructure. She has also backed eliminating the sales tax on feminine hygiene products.
Healthcare
Joan Huffman supports expanding access to care, lowering costs, and increasing transparency. She sponsored and passed measures to expand telemedicine, cap insulin prices, increase funding for mental health and women’s health programs, eliminate sales tax on certain health products, and authored legislation to create a dementia research institute.
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Immigration & Border
Supports strong border enforcement and increased funding for state border operations; has sponsored legislation to restrict rights and release options for people in Texas without legal status (e.g., denying bail, preventing community-time credits) and supported construction/funding for border barriers.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Joan Huffman identifies as pro-life and supports restrictions on abortion, emphasizing protection of the unborn. She was listed as a joint author on the Texas Senate’s SB 8 (the Texas “heartbeat”/six-week abortion restriction) and public materials highlight her stance of "standing up for the unborn."
Public Safety & Guns
Joan Huffman has a pro-gun record as a Texas state senator, voting for permitless/constitutional-carry provisions and other measures that expand where Texans may carry firearms, while also sponsoring legislation to improve reporting of certain court mental-health determinations to the federal background-check system. She has received an endorsement from the NRA and has described licensed open carry as having little effect on law enforcement.
News
State Sen. Joan Huffman is running in the Texas GOP primary for attorney general in the open-seat race created by Ken Paxton’s Senate bid. She has been campaigning by emphasizing conservative credentials and legislative experience, and she participated in a Dallas primary debate alongside Chip Roy, Aaron Reitz, and Mayes Middleton. Recent polling cited in coverage shows Roy leading, with Huffman among the trailing contenders as the March 3, 2026 primary approaches and a runoff remains possible if no candidate clears 50%.
Texas GOP Attorney General candidates highlight conservative credentials ahead of primary
Firebrand conservatives set to duke it out in GOP Texas AG debate
Texas primary elections: Candidates make final pushes ahead of March 3
The Latest: Primary voters head to the polls in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising