Former U.S. Attorney John Bash first to announce run to replace Attorney General Ken Paxton

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Former U.S. Attorney and Elon Musk lawyer John Bash is the first to throw his hat in the ring to replace Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is making a bid for a U.S. Senate seat.

Bash previously worked as a federal prosecutor for the Western District of Texas until 2020, and served as a special assistant to President Donald Trump during his first term. Since resigning as a government attorney, he has taken on cases such as defending Musk against a then-college student who sued him for defamation.

Bash’s wife, Zina Bash, previously worked as Paxton’s senior counsel until 2021.

Bash describes himself on his campaign website as the “left’s worst nightmare” and pledges to “stop woke lawfare cold.” He said in a statement on social media he’s running because Texas needs “the toughest, most battle-tested attorney to lead the fight to keep our communities safe, defend our constitutional rights, and make sure Texas remains a leader in innovation and growth.’”

As a federal prosecutor, Bash led the state’s cases against the perpetrator of the 2018 Austin porch bombings, who killed two people, and the corruption case against former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, who was found guilty in 2018 for his role in a Ponzi scheme.

Bash’s move comes after Paxton’s announcement earlier this week that he’ll challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year’s midterm election. Paxton has served in the role for 10 years. He does not have to resign his seat, but can’t run for election for more than one position.

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