Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) officially launched his bid for Texas attorney general Thursday, jumping into the crowded Republican primary to replace the outgoing Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

“Texans’ next attorney general must have a proven record of fighting to preserve, protect, and defend our legacy,” Roy said in his campaign launch video posted Thursday.

The Hill was the first outlet to report on Roy eyeing a run for the Lone Star State’s top law enforcement position earlier this month.

Next year’s race will mark the first open attorney general contest in the state since 2014, when Paxton was first elected. Paxton is challenging incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) for his seat in a hotly contested primary next year.

Roy joins a number of other Republicans seeking to replace Paxton,

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