Trump endorses Paxton for 3rd term as Texas attorney general

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement Monday for election to a third term, in which Trump called the legally beleaguered incumbent “a true Texan who will keep Texas safe — and will never let you down.”

In a statement, Trump said Paxton is strong on crime, border security, gun rights, sound elections and the U.S. Constitution.

“He is a true Texan who will keep Texas safe — and will never let you down,” his endorsement message concluded.

The endorsement comes in the face of ongoing investigations of securities fraud allegations and whether his petitioning of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the election of President Joe Bidenconstituted professional misconduct. Allegations that Paxton abused his office to help an Austin businessman are also receiving FBI scrutiny after then-top Paxton aides leveled bribery and abuse-of-office allegations against him.

On social media, Paxton said he was “honored to receive the endorsement of President Donald J. Trump.”

Paxton had drawn challenges for the GOP nomination from Land Commissioner George P. Bush and ex-state Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman. Bush, the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and grandson of former President George H.W. Bush, had broken with his family and expressed support for Trump, who has mocked the Bush family that was once the face of the Republican Party.

In social media postings, Bush said: “I’m running for Attorney General because Texans deserve integrity and honesty from the office of Texas’ top law enforcement official. Texans deserve a candidate without a laundry list of existing and potential criminal indictments.”

The Guzman campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment.