Texas Attorney General tops runoff ballot

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- For Republican George P. Bush, this race is as much about what he would do as Texas Attorney General as it is about what he says the incumbent, Ken Paxton, has done to tarnish the office.

"This is truly a campaign of righteousness and getting the message out," Bush told ABC13 about his runoff contest against Paxton. "We continue to reach out to Republicans spreading the message of removing corruption and arguably the most dangerous criminal we've had in the halls of power of Austin for a long time."

Paxton, running for a third term, has run his campaign without appearances and without attending forums or debates.

He is under indictment for multiple securities-related crimes. He is under an FBI investigation into allegations of abuse of office and bribery, charges brought by former employees.

While he has not been convicted of a crime, his opponents on the left and right point to restoring integrity to the office as a critical motivator to replace him as attorney general, ABC13 reached out to Paxton multiple times for an interview, but his campaign never responded.

"We'll honor the constitution. We'll actually honor the laws," Bush, the Texas Land Commissioner, said. "I will admit mistakes as they approach. I come humbly as a Christian, a father, a husband, but that, that's the biggest difference between me and Ken is that he's unwilling to abide by the laws established by the state, by the United States constitution."

SEE ALSO: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton headed to runoff against George P. Bush

Bush is the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, the nephew of former President and Texas Governor George W Bush, and grandson of former President George HW Bush.

While his top priority is securing the Texas border, Bush says he would also be an advocate for Texas families.

"The attorney general is the chief consumer advocate. And so there are ways in which we can reduce the cost of living for everyday Texans," said Bush.

Bush knows this is a fight but told ABC13 he is confident Texas Republicans will choose him as their nominee.

Whoever wins will face the winner of the Democratic primary runoff between civil rights attorney Rochelle Garza and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski. Garza finished first in the May 1 primary.

"It's a much more intentional voter who is going to turn out on May 24," Jaworski said. "It gives us a great opportunity to communicate with people who are aware of the issues."

Jaworski says the runoff is a new race, and he hopes to motivate voters to the polls this week and next Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Texas' primary runoff election 2022: What to know ahead of Election Day on May 24

"After thirty-one years of being a lawyer and almost a decade in local public service," Jaworski said, "I've got the chops to solve some of the problems, and I am ready to get to work on day one."

He lists the United States' southern border with Mexico among those problems. But the problem is not asylum seekers, as he says his Republican counterparts would have voters believe. It's the cartels, he said, and his plan would partner with the Feds to prosecute the cartel, use third-year law students to offer pro bono help to legitimate asylum seekers, and special magistrates to unclog the backlog and ease the pressure at the southern border.

Rochelle Garza is a fifth-generation Texan from the valley who wants to represent Texans in a way she says is not happening under incumbent Ken Paxton.

"I think people want to see qualified representation," Garza said. "They want to see a woman, they want to see a Latina, get into office, and that's reflected not only in the polling but in the March first primary numbers. I'm going to be looking out for Texas families, making sure that they have access to healthcare, making sure that workers aren't taken advantage of, that consumer rights are uplifted."

Both believe the impending overturn of Roe V. Wade will drive voters to the polls in what would otherwise be a very low turnout runoff. Garza places first in the primary, but those votes don't count unless those same voters show up again. Early voting ends Friday, May 20. Election Day is Tuesday, May 24.

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SEE ALSO: Here are 5 questions the Texas primary will answer