1 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load. The 2 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: Michael Verie Show is on the air. 3 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 2: A lot of musical chairs going on. When one officeholder 4 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 2: seeks another office in Paxton running in the Senate race 5 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: against John Cornyn, that opens up the Texas AG's seat, 6 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: a position of great power and also a position that 7 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 2: has launched a lot of other careers. Greg Abbott, of course, 8 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 2: was the attorney general before he was governor. That race 9 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 2: has attracted a lot of attention, and it's going to 10 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: be a spirited campaign. You've got State Senator Joan Huffman 11 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: from the Houston area, former judge. You've got Mays Middleton, 12 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: a state senator who has said he's putting ten million 13 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 2: of his own money and will put ten more if 14 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: it's needed. So you got to take that campaign seriously, 15 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 2: just because that kind of money, if spent early enough, 16 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:37,039 Speaker 2: can build you some name idea. You've got Chip Roy. 17 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 2: Congressman Ted Cruz came out and endorsed him. He has 18 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 2: been on Donald Trump's hit list for some things. He 19 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: said in January of twenty twenty one, as Trump was 20 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: headed out the door. A lot of Republicans kicked Trump 21 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: when he was down and chip Roy was certainly one 22 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: of those but ted Cruz coming out and endorsing him 23 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 2: certainly helps him. And you have Aaron Wrights. Aaron Wrights, Well, 24 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 2: you know what, let's let him tell you. Aaron Wrights 25 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: is our guest. Welcome to the program. 26 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:10,119 Speaker 3: Eron, Hey, Michael, happy to be here. 27 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: Why don't you take two minutes, three minutes and first 28 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: just talk about your career and how you ended up here. 29 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, I appreciate it. Look, this is going to 30 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 3: be a spirited campaign. I love the composition of the field. 31 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:28,399 Speaker 3: I love how this race is unfolded over the past 32 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 3: few months. And I guess we'll start. You know, look, 33 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 3: when I most recently came from the Trump administration, having 34 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,239 Speaker 3: served as a presidentially appointed Senate confirmed head of the 35 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 3: Office of Legal Policy at the Justice Department under Attorney 36 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 3: General Bondi, And when the President nominated me back in December, 37 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: he put out a statement saying that Aaron Rights is 38 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 3: a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution. 39 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 3: And the reason why he described me as a true 40 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 3: Maga attorney and a warrior the Constitution is because he knows, 41 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,799 Speaker 3: just like the voters in Texas know that We need 42 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 3: senior executive attorneys covered in battle scars who know how 43 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 3: to fight in the lawfair environment in which we find ourselves. 44 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 3: He needs, just like the voters in Texas need a 45 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 3: lawyer who has litigated, investigated, sued, defended, and appealed on 46 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 3: all of the major issues. That's going to restore integrity, transparency, 47 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: and confidence into what has long been a broken and 48 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 3: corrupted justice system. Now what is that background that he 49 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 3: looked at, Well, it goes all the way back to 50 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 3: my time. After having graduated college. I'm a proud aggie, 51 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: went to Texas and I helpe Your listeners. Won't hold 52 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 3: that against me, but I know you got some good 53 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: aggies that listen in. After my time at A and M, 54 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: I was an officer in the Marine Corps, went to Afghanistan, 55 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 3: deployed to the Northern Helman Province. Was on an embedded 56 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,440 Speaker 3: training team there in Helmand, And after my five years 57 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 3: on active, went to the University of Texas Law School, 58 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 3: President of the Federal Society, editor in chief of the 59 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 3: Texas Review of Law and Politics, clerked on the Texas 60 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: Supreme Court for now Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock spent several 61 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 3: years in private practice, and then in twenty twenty, I 62 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 3: joined Paxson as his deputy Attorney General for legal strategy, 63 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 3: and as Paxson always points out in anything really publicly 64 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 3: that he says about me, is I was his offensive 65 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 3: coordinator for the Biden years. He was our head coach. 66 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 3: I was the offensive coordinator, leading all of the major 67 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 3: fights on behalf of the state of Texas against Biden, 68 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 3: but not just Biden, also big tech, big pharma, school districts, 69 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 3: election integrity inside the state. You name the issue, and 70 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: I've led on it. I was then Ted Cruz's chief 71 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 3: of staff before being elevated to the Justice Department. And 72 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,800 Speaker 3: when I left the Justice Department, you can find this 73 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 3: is all easily available online. Your listeners can look it up. 74 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 3: It's easy, or I can share it is. When I 75 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 3: left the DOJ, it was very clear. I've got at 76 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 3: least a dozen positive statements of encouragement for my former 77 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 3: colleg leagues and bosses in the West Wing and a DOJ, 78 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 3: all of whom understand that the stakes of this attorney 79 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 3: general race are not merely at the local or state level, 80 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 3: but that the State of Texas Attorney General, who presides 81 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 3: over the largest red state law firm in the country, 82 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 3: has significant national impact, and the question for voters is 83 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 3: is the next Attorney General going to be able to effectively, zealously, energetically, 84 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 3: and effectively advance the America first law and order agenda 85 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 3: here in the lone Star state. And there's only one 86 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 3: person in this race, only one with the kind of 87 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 3: record necessary to give voters a confidence that I'm the 88 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 3: guy to be able to keep his foot on the 89 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 3: gas to continue on the fights that Attorney General Paxson 90 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 3: has started. And frankly, he's at a ten. I'm going 91 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 3: to do my best to turn it up to eleven. 92 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 3: And so that's why I'm running. The stakes are critical 93 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 3: regardless of what happens with any of these candidate's futures. 94 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 3: You mentioned, it's a launching pad. I can't wait to 95 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,040 Speaker 3: be the Attorney General to advance law and order and 96 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 3: justice here in Texas. That's why I'm running, and that's 97 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 3: why I want to earn voter support. 98 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: Aaron, when I was running for office or city council, 99 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 2: I had no trouble, but running for mayor, I had 100 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: a great frustration that money guys would say, Hey, we 101 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 2: think you'd make the best mayor in the field, but 102 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 2: we don't think you can get there. And my argument 103 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 2: was always I could get there if y'all would give 104 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: money and help me get there. But you've decided I 105 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 2: can't win, which means you've handed the race over to 106 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: other people to determine who the winner would be. I 107 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 2: don't like them to focus exclusively on who has a lead, 108 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 2: or more money or things like that, but I do 109 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 2: want to take a moment of that. How do you 110 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 2: get there? You've got candidates that are going to have 111 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 2: more money, you have candidates that have more name id. 112 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 2: How do you get there? 113 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, look, I think I like your anecdote. I've heard 114 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 3: that before. But I'll just respectfully, Michael, disagree with a 115 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 3: couple of your premises. There there's only one in this 116 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 3: race who clearly has significantly more money than anybody, and 117 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 3: it's May's Middleweight. And it's not even his money, it's 118 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 3: it's his inherited money. And so I look, I'm all 119 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 3: for I'm all for family legacies, but you know money 120 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 3: is only going to get so far. 121 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 2: But you know what you did, I'll buy what I did. 122 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 2: You really just say, Maze Middleweight, tell. 123 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 3: You absolutely no, it's pronounced May's middleweight. Actually, and if 124 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 3: you don't prefer to use the last name, it's just 125 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 3: May's with an exclamation point like Jeb in twenty sixteen. 126 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: Let me tell you something. I can't use the P 127 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 2: word like I want to. So if there's one thing 128 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: I can't stand, it's a woos, So I will use woos. 129 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 2: But the fact that you're going to come out swinging 130 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 2: like this, I you know, I I yes, I'm I'm 131 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 2: all in. I'm here for this. This this is let 132 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,800 Speaker 2: me tell you, and I would say this to any 133 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 2: of the candids. If you're going to be the attorney general, 134 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: and this is what makes Paxson who he is, you 135 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: better be ready to bloody some noses. So all right, 136 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 2: go ahead with your a mazed middleweight. 137 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 3: All right, May's Middlewaite has never been in a fight 138 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: in his life. He's not had spent any time in 139 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 3: a law in a law fair environment. I understand that 140 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 3: he's backed some good bills, but again, remember this isn't 141 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 3: a legislative job. The Texas Constitution under Article four, section 142 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 3: twenty two. You know this, Michael, as a as an 143 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 3: esteem lawyer yourself says that the Attorney General shall represent 144 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 3: the state of Texas in all courts. And please, this 145 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 3: is a legal executive branch law enforcement job. 146 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: Hold it is. 147 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: We have all your formalware needs, from morning suits to 148 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:33,679 Speaker 1: coordinating accessories. 149 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 2: Aaron Wrights is running to replace John Cornyan as the 150 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 2: Attorney General of Texas. Cornyn, of course running against Sorry 151 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: running to replace Ken Paxton as attorney General. Paxton running 152 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 2: against John Cornyan. And it looks like today Wesley Hunt 153 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: will get in to that three way now three way 154 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 2: primary for the US Senate. The attorney general's seat in 155 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 2: the state of Texas is incredibly important. Aaron Wrights is 156 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 2: a candidate in that race, a candidate who, as of 157 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: last week I believe was endorsed by Ken Paxton himself. Aaron, 158 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 2: I had to cut you off because we went to break, 159 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: but you were kind of setting the field of what 160 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 2: people could expect. Obviously, Chip Roy, the President Trump doesn't 161 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 2: seem to like him, one bit ted Cruz really likes him. 162 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: He does start with some name id and people are 163 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 2: going to be looking at that part of the race. 164 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 3: What would you say, Yeah, look, I think where we 165 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 3: kind of left. It is just I was, you know, 166 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 3: there are two things. There's the name id and then 167 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 3: there's the money piece. And so you know, on the 168 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 3: one hand, with the money piece, there's only one person 169 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 3: in the race who inherited a boatload of family oil 170 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,040 Speaker 3: and gas money, and it's May's middleweight. He'll always have 171 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 3: more money than everyone else in the race. But remember 172 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,000 Speaker 3: when I launched at mid June, and I only had 173 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 3: two weeks to raise money. In the second quarter. In 174 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 3: two weeks as a non incumbent, non office holder, first 175 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 3: time statewide, no gavel, no title, no nothing, from two 176 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty individual donors, I raised two point one 177 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 3: five million dollars in two weeks and we're only climbing 178 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 3: from there. And that's not just record breaking, it's record setting. 179 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 3: That kind of fundraising momentum has literally never been done 180 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 3: in modern Texas politics. And the reason for that is 181 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 3: people are actually fired up about this race. People are 182 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 3: not fired up about May's middleweight. They're not fired up 183 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 3: about Joan Huffman. And there's a fringy never Trumper, anti Maga, 184 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 3: anti Paxxton wing of the party that's fired up about 185 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 3: Chip Roy. But the base of our party is Maga 186 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 3: America First, pro Trump pro Paxson, and they are deeply, 187 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 3: deeply anti chip Roy. And so, you know, look, my 188 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 3: money is extremely competitive. I do not agree that that 189 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 3: I'm starting from some sort of money deficit. We're raising 190 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 3: an unbelievable amount of money, and sure Mays will continue 191 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 3: to spend more money, but we've seen elected officials in 192 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 3: this state spend, you know, just dump exorbitant amounts of money. 193 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 3: And it's a factor, but it's not the only thing. 194 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 3: You got to have more than just money. And sadly, 195 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 3: May's middleweight doesn't really have anything other than his inherited wealth. Joan. 196 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 3: We don't know what's going on with Joan. I think 197 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,560 Speaker 3: someone ought to call, you know, do a wellness check 198 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 3: on her. I don't know if she's campaigning. I really 199 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 3: don't know what she's doing. But on the name ID, 200 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 3: the only thing that I would the only point that 201 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: I would, you know, maybe totally agree with you on, 202 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 3: is yeah, chip Roy is starting with higher name ID 203 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 3: than everybody. But if you look at my polling, or 204 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,439 Speaker 3: really any any public polling that's been done on this question, 205 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 3: it's overwhelmingly negative. Now, look, we I'm taking I'm in 206 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 3: Houston right now. I know you're based in Houston. It 207 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 3: is true that in Houston and the Gulf Coast that 208 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 3: May's and Jones name idea is higher than mine, but 209 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 3: it's not statewide, and the polling reflects me. Joan and 210 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 3: May's are about equal right now in September of twenty 211 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 3: twenty five on name, I d state senators often have 212 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 3: a tendency to overestimate how well known they are statewide. 213 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 3: And so look, I've spent the past you know, decade 214 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 3: traveling the state, first with Paxson and then with Cruz, 215 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 3: building a grassroots network in every corner of the state, 216 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 3: which gives me a tremendous infrastructure advantage over the two 217 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: state senators who may be better known in this particular region, 218 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 3: but they're not known anywhere else in the state. So 219 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 3: here's what's happening, Michael in this race. This race is 220 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 3: a rights versus roy battle. Joan and Mays are nice people. 221 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 3: I think, you know, have serviceable legislative records. I might 222 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 3: prefer one over the other. I might give more props 223 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 3: to one over the other. But again, as I said, 224 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 3: I think before we cut to the break, this isn't 225 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 3: a legislative job. I think they're nice people, they're applying 226 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 3: for the wrong job. Nor Joan and Ship included are. 227 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 3: They are manifestly unqualified for this position, grossly so. And 228 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 3: Texans really haven't had to think about the qualifications for 229 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 3: office for the AG in over a decade. Article four, 230 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,839 Speaker 3: Section twenty two the Texas Constitution says the Attorney General 231 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 3: shall represent the State of Texas in all courts and 232 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,320 Speaker 3: please it is a legal executive branch, law enforcement job. 233 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 3: And there is only one person in this race with 234 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 3: relevant and recent experience engaging in the kind of lawfare combat, litigating, investigating, suing, defending, 235 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 3: and appealing on all the major issues that your listeners 236 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 3: and Republican primary voters more generally care about. And that's 237 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 3: what sets my record apart from these people. But the 238 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,839 Speaker 3: reason why it's a rights versus roy battle is because 239 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 3: neither Mas nor Joan are really getting any traction. I 240 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 3: think that people realize there's no energy. It's kind of 241 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,600 Speaker 3: just spiraling and not getting any forward momentum. We don't 242 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:57,680 Speaker 3: see any campaigning, we don't see a lot of radio, 243 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 3: we see no TV media, we see no podcasts. We 244 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 3: don't know what they're doing. I think it's because they're 245 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 3: trying to punch above their weight, but Roy comes in 246 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 3: with the advantage of high name id and look, he's 247 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 3: been a fighter, but like he's kind of like I 248 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 3: analogize Roy to this. Roy is like is like an 249 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 3: attack dog but with rabies right. In other words, he's 250 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 3: lost his frickin' mind. He goes to war against everybody. 251 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 3: He's been fired from virtually every single job he's ever held, 252 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 3: including the United States Congress, in which he's basically persona 253 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 3: non grata among both his peers and the Trump administration. 254 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: It wasn't as though the Trump administration just had quibbles 255 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 3: with him back in January of twenty twenty one. President 256 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 3: Trump is recently as December of twenty twenty four, was 257 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 3: saying that Chip Roy was a do nothing egomaniac who 258 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 3: should be primaried and so Maga world, Trump World, America, 259 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 3: first World, Packson World. They know who Chip Roy is. 260 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 3: They know who Chip Sooy is or Flip Roy, whatever 261 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 3: you want to call him. This is a guy who 262 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 3: is deeply anti Maga and anti Trump, and I think 263 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 3: that that will reflect in the polls. But Chip writes 264 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,480 Speaker 3: versus Roy reflects a It is a proxy battle over 265 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 3: the broader war of the future, of the heart and 266 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 3: soul of our party. Is it America First? Is it maga? 267 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 3: Does President Trump represent a lasting, durable realignment in our 268 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 3: party back to America First principles? That's what I represent. 269 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 3: That's the flag that I carry. Or does it go 270 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 3: back to sort of GOP Inc. Business as usual bumper 271 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 3: sticker talking points from the eighties that no longer apply 272 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 3: to the fights that we're in today. Well, that's Chip 273 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: Roy And I think voters know that. I think the 274 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 3: president knows this. I think this administration knows it, and 275 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:47,440 Speaker 3: I think it's going to reflect in the polls. Chip's 276 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: got enough high, has the high name ID, but it's 277 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 3: overwhelmingly negative. Michael. And so this is why I say 278 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 3: I love the field, because I've got all the momentum 279 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 3: in the world. I've got incredible endorsements that are coming out. 280 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 3: It was Ken Paxton a couple of weeks ago who 281 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 3: said he didn't mince words in his endorsement statement. By 282 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 3: the way, he didn't say, oh, there's many good people 283 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 3: in the field, and you know, on the margins, I 284 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 3: stand with Aaron. But at the end of the day, 285 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 3: Texans will be well served by any of the champions 286 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 3: that are running. No, he made it very clear. He 287 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 3: said explicitly, Aaron Rights is the only qualified candidate in 288 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 3: this race, and I think voters will get to. 289 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 2: Know that Aaron Wright's is our guest. He's running for 290 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 2: attorney general Texans, who replaced Ken Paxton, who has endorsed him. 291 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 2: More with him coming up. 292 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 3: You are listening to the Michael Berry Show. 293 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 2: Aaron Wright is a candidate for attorney general to replace 294 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 2: Ken Paxton, who of course is running against John Cornyn. 295 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 2: Paxton has endorsed Aaron Wrights. Ted Cruz has endorsed Chip Roy. 296 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 2: There are also May's Middleton and Joan Hoffman in the race. 297 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 2: But I would actually agree at this point with Aaron Rights, 298 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 2: and I don't see that changing that this is a 299 00:17:05,080 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 2: two person race between Rights and Roy. I think Joan 300 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: Huffman has a solid history. Obviously she won that state 301 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 2: Senate race when most people didn't think she could. And 302 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 2: Middleton has money and that gets people's attention. But a 303 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,479 Speaker 2: lot of folks that are impressed with having some money 304 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 2: to start don't understand the grassroots Republican primaries. This is 305 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,880 Speaker 2: a very very different type of race than you're used 306 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 2: to come November, and you can't simply PLoP down a 307 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,719 Speaker 2: lot of money. Grassroots people are very opinionated, and there 308 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 2: will be lots of coffees and teas in living rooms, 309 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 2: and it will be mostly women, and they will determine 310 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 2: who wins and loses this race, and they don't. I 311 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 2: look back to David Deuhurst and having busted my butt 312 00:17:54,600 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 2: for Ted Cruz in twenty twelve and having to overcome 313 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 2: dohurst money is he was running an aerial campaign and 314 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 2: we were running a grassroots campaign, and the grassroots will 315 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 2: always win. Aaron, let's talk about your connection to the 316 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 2: grassroots and how you win this race. 317 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 3: Yeah. Look, I think that what you and I both 318 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 3: know this that the grassroots in Texas is energetically aligned 319 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 3: with President Donald Trump. They are maga, they are America first, 320 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,679 Speaker 3: and they are fired up about that. And this is 321 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:32,479 Speaker 3: exactly why my message is resonating with the grassroots in 322 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 3: every corner of this state. It's because I'm the only 323 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 3: guy in the race who's been fully vetted, tested, and 324 00:18:39,359 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 3: hand selected by the President himself to have served in 325 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 3: a very senior executive legal lawyer role. Most recently in 326 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 3: the Justice Department, and not just that, he specifically called 327 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 3: me a true maga attorney and a warrior for the Constitution, 328 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 3: and then went on to praise specifically the work that 329 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,000 Speaker 3: I did when I was Attorney General Ken Paxson's deputy, 330 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 3: litigating against the Biden administration and the forces of the 331 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 3: forces of the left as they manifest themselves in big tech, 332 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 3: big pharma, K through twelve education, higher education, election integrity, 333 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 3: and so forth. And so the grassroots know they have 334 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 3: an intuitive sense that even though the grassroots is excited 335 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 3: about Paxton moving on to the United States Senate to 336 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:31,920 Speaker 3: represent the lone star state better in Washington, they had 337 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 3: some concerns. This is what I've felt this for many, 338 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 3: many months. They have concerns about, well, gosh, Ken, we're 339 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 3: excited for you to run for Senate, but who in 340 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: the world can competently take the keys to this high 341 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 3: horsepower vehicle handle its incredible capabilities without driving it into 342 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 3: the ditch while keeping his foot on the gas. And 343 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:59,439 Speaker 3: so as voters are looking at the field, they know 344 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 3: that Mays Middleton is a nice guy, but he certainly 345 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 3: can't do it. He's not a fighter, he's not a 346 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 3: Warrior's never been punched in the mouth before, He's never 347 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 3: been engaged in legal combat or lawfair. They know that 348 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 3: until recently, nobody knew that he was even a lawyer. 349 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 3: Joan Huffman, they know that she's just kind of a 350 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 3: swamp creature who wields her gavel to advance her own 351 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: personal interests as Senate Finance chairman, has a very liberal 352 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:28,160 Speaker 3: voting record, and really hasn't been a lawyer in twenty years. 353 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 3: I mean, look, I'll give Joanes some credit. At least 354 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,159 Speaker 3: she was a lawyer several decades ago. Mays, on the 355 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:35,760 Speaker 3: other hand, has never practiced. And they look at Roy 356 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 3: and they find his never trump ism odious, They find 357 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 3: it offensive, they find it disqualifying for the moment that 358 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 3: we're in right now. And so the grassroots want a 359 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 3: MAGA fighter. They want what President Trump said about me, 360 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 3: which is a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for 361 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 3: the Constitution, with somebody who's got a record litigating, investigating, suing, defending, 362 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 3: and appealing on all the major issues that Texans care 363 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 3: about in a law fair, legal combat environment. My opponents 364 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 3: are all legislators. They're going to say, well, I've got 365 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 3: this bill and that bill, and I've sponsored this thing, 366 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 3: and I voted for this and against that, and look 367 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 3: at my record, I say, great, are you guys applying 368 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 3: for a legislative position or are you applying for the 369 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 3: state's top legal position, Because if you're applying for the 370 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 3: state's top legal position, I'm sorry. Those records are some indication, 371 00:21:26,920 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 3: but they're not qualifying for the position. In fact, had 372 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,880 Speaker 3: any of my opponents applied for even an entry level 373 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 3: legal position at the United States Justice Department under Trump 374 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:38,960 Speaker 3: or the Office of the Attorney General of Texas under Packson, 375 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 3: they wouldn't have even gotten a screener interview, either because 376 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,160 Speaker 3: they don't have the ideological or philosophical commitments that are 377 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 3: needed for the time in which we're in right now, 378 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 3: or they don't have the relevant experience to do even 379 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 3: low level or middle management. And yet my opponents presume 380 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 3: to want to preside over the largest red state law 381 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,639 Speaker 3: firm in the country. I don't think so. You don't 382 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 3: get to become the head coach of the most impressive 383 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 3: football team in the country if you've never even played 384 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 3: freshman B team ball. It's just not possible. And the 385 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 3: voters are going to reject it. Now. Look, I've spent 386 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 3: the past several years with Paxton in the twenty twenty 387 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,919 Speaker 3: two statewide cycle and crews in the twenty four cycle, 388 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 3: traveling to every single corner of the state. I've built 389 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 3: a statewide infrastructure in every major region from the Panhandle 390 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 3: down to the Valley West Texas to deep East Texas, 391 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,359 Speaker 3: all the way to Orange and where you're from Michael 392 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 3: to the major metropolitan areas. I've got grassroots coverage in 393 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 3: every corner of the state, and people are fired up. 394 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 3: You feel it intuitively. You look at the momentum, you 395 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 3: look at the media presence, you look at the social 396 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 3: media follow you look at the fundraising, and voters know, 397 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 3: the grassroots know the AG. We cannot turn the keys 398 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 3: over the AG's office over to somebody who needs training wheels. 399 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 3: And my three opponents don't have the slightest idea what 400 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 3: they are doing. It is all well and good. And 401 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 3: I know this as a Marine officer, somebody who went 402 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 3: to Afghanistan. It's all well and good to talk a 403 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 3: big game about. Oh I'm courageous, I'm going to be 404 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 3: a hero on the battlefield. I'm gonna do great things 405 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 3: I'm going to lead my men to victory. Uh huh. 406 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 3: Wait until you hear the bullets start to fly. Wait 407 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 3: until one of your buddies gets injured, Wait until you're 408 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 3: starting to get overrun, Wait until you have to confront 409 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 3: the enemy face on, and then all of a sudden, 410 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 3: that's when your character is tested. That's when your metal 411 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 3: is tested. And right now, out of a four way race, 412 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 3: there is only one candidate who has actually been in 413 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 3: legal combat doing the legal fights that matter most on 414 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 3: behalf of the state of Texas and to Texans, and 415 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,679 Speaker 3: it's me my other three opponents. Regardless of what you 416 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 3: think about their legislative records, it doesn't matter. This isn't 417 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 3: a super legislative position. It's the state's top legal law 418 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 3: enforcement executive branch role. And voters know this. Our voters, Michael, 419 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 3: you know this. The grassroots are smart, They are discerning, 420 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 3: They ask the right questions, and they align themselves with 421 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 3: people that they fully trust in, and they know that 422 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 3: if I was good enough for President Trump, if I 423 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 3: was good enough for the President to say Aaron Rights 424 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 3: is a true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution, 425 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 3: then that's the guy that they're going to align with. 426 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 3: That's the one who they're going to vote for. That's 427 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 3: the one they're going to text their friends about. That's 428 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 3: the one that they're going to donate their hard earned 429 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 3: money to. And it's not my opponents. And I will 430 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 3: tell your listeners hearing my voice for the first time, 431 00:24:38,280 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 3: I will tell you this, the stakes are way way 432 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 3: too high to give this position to somebody who is 433 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 3: not absolutely ready and battle hardened for the fight that's 434 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 3: ahead of us. Do not take your chances with somebody 435 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,879 Speaker 3: who's never done this before. Don't take your chances with 436 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 3: somebody who's just making a play declined to the next wrong, 437 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,360 Speaker 3: or somebody who's just running because it increases their statewide 438 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 3: name ID and allows him to raise more money, or 439 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:09,679 Speaker 3: who is failing upwards because their path has been blocked 440 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 3: at every turn. Allow it. Vote for somebody who's battle tester. 441 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 2: Aaron Wrights is running for Texas Attorney General. Will continue 442 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 2: our conversation with him coming up. Aaron Wrights is our 443 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 2: guest spelled R E I t Z. He is running 444 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: to replace John damn It. He is running to replace 445 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 2: Ken Paston, who is running against John Cornyn in the 446 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 2: US Senate race, a race that saw a third entrant 447 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:52,639 Speaker 2: today or will be seeing, and that is Wesley Hunt, 448 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 2: congressman from the thirty eighth Congressional district, which of course 449 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:59,159 Speaker 2: will pop open his congressional seat and there will be 450 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 2: a race for that. So Hunt in against Cornyan and Paxton. 451 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 2: Paxton leaving the AG's race means that Aaron Wrights has 452 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 2: entered that race along with Chip Roy, Mays Middleton, and 453 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 2: Joan Hoffman. Aaron Wrights take a moment, if you would, 454 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 2: and I'm going to time you take two minutes to 455 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: explain to folks what the Attorney General's office actually does 456 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 2: and why it's so important. 457 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 3: Yeah. Great question. So Article four, section twenty two of 458 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 3: the Texas Constitution says, quote, the Attorney General shall represent 459 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 3: the State of Texas in all courts and pleas. This 460 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:45,680 Speaker 3: is a legal executive branch law enforcement job. The Attorney 461 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 3: General is the state of Texas when it comes to 462 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 3: legal fights. That means that on behalf of the state 463 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 3: of Texas, the Attorney General may go on offense as 464 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 3: a plaintiff. It means the Attorney General may be in 465 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 3: a defense position as a defendant when other entities come 466 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:07,400 Speaker 3: after the state. And it also means that the Attorney 467 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 3: General can launch investigations consistent with state law to discern whether, 468 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:16,159 Speaker 3: you know, pull at legal threads to discern whether or 469 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 3: not state law or federal law within the jurisdiction of 470 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 3: the State of Texas is being violated. The powers that 471 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 3: inhere in the attorney General, both constitutional and statutory, are vast. 472 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:32,880 Speaker 3: I want your listeners to think of the Attorney General 473 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 3: as someone who presides over one of the most robust 474 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 3: legal armories that one can imagine. It is a legal armory. 475 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 3: The legislature stocks the armory full of weapons. Then the 476 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 3: Attorney General, however, must go into that armory and, depending 477 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 3: on the enemy of the day, select the appropriate weapon 478 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 3: to go after that enemy. So one day you may 479 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:00,840 Speaker 3: have an enemy that requires a belt fed machine gun 480 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 3: with a tripod. Then another day it may just require 481 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 3: a booie knife to slip in under the ribs of 482 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:09,640 Speaker 3: the enemy and take them out and walk away. Another day, 483 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 3: there may be an enemy that's so overwhelming the attorney 484 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 3: General needs superior air covering, can call and help from 485 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:17,680 Speaker 3: the Trump administration. And then there are other days where 486 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 3: the enemy is coming and we need to bring out 487 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 3: defensive weapons. And so that's how I want folks to 488 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 3: think about the attorney general, who is ready to engage 489 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 3: in legal combat in a lawfair environment, who has handled 490 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 3: these weapons, who is battle tested, who has sustained scars 491 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,320 Speaker 3: to competently and effectively and energetically fight the enemies of liberty, 492 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 3: the enemies of Texas, and the enemies of the Constitution. 493 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 3: And out of the four people in this race, there 494 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 3: is only one person who has that credible experience, and 495 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 3: it's me. 496 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:56,920 Speaker 2: Aaron Wrights, which is spelled Oreiitz is our guest. We're 497 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 2: talking about his bid to be the next turn in general. 498 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 2: When we talk about the nuts and bolts of the campaign. 499 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 2: Obviously Ken Paxton came out and endorsed you, Ted Cruz 500 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 2: endorsed Chip Roy. The expectation has been, with your experience 501 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 2: with President Trump, the expectation is that President Trump will 502 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 2: endorse you. How confident do you feel that he will 503 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 2: do that publicly? 504 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 3: So I want to be very clear. When I left 505 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 3: the Trump administration, it was after two months plus a 506 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 3: very careful and thoughtful and deliberate due diligence with my 507 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 3: superiors and colleagues in the West Wing and at the 508 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,479 Speaker 3: Justice Department, And only after receiving the full blessing of 509 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 3: everyone that helped to get me into the Justice Department 510 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 3: that I make the ultimate decision to jump into this race. 511 00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 3: Why did I get that permission because the Trump administration 512 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 3: understands that this position the Texas Attorney General is not 513 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 3: just some back or state office for somebody who wants 514 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 3: to climb the rungs. It is mission essential nationally to 515 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 3: advance the America first in MAGA law and order agenda. 516 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 3: It's why when I announced, I got twenty different public 517 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:15,160 Speaker 3: statements from the Attorney General of the United States, the 518 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 3: Deputy Attorney General, FBI Director Borders are and so on 519 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 3: and so forth. All this is publicly available out on 520 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 3: social media saying, look, Aaron is the guy for the job, 521 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:27,960 Speaker 3: and he's going to make America safe again back in 522 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 3: his home state of Texas. Now, the question of the 523 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 3: complete and total endorsement is a separate conversation. We stand 524 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:38,600 Speaker 3: ideally positioned to earn the President's in total, complete and 525 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 3: total endorsement. That is something that we are in constant 526 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 3: communication with this administration on. But it's early and the 527 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 3: President wants his people to show that they can jump 528 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 3: out of the nest and fly on their own. And 529 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 3: I think by any metric, whether it's fundraising or social 530 00:30:55,280 --> 00:30:58,360 Speaker 3: media or media appearances, ability on the stump and on 531 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 3: the trail, endorse, et cetera, et cetera. I think the 532 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,640 Speaker 3: President Trump and his team know that they've got not 533 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 3: only somebody who's been fully vetted by them, somebody who's 534 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:11,760 Speaker 3: already been declared by the President himself to be a 535 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 3: true MAGA attorney and a warrior for the Constitution, but 536 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 3: somebody who that the President can confidently endorse at the 537 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 3: right time, when it makes the most sense and when 538 00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,760 Speaker 3: it has the biggest impact. And so I think that 539 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,360 Speaker 3: I stand ideally positioned to earn it. I want to 540 00:31:26,400 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 3: earn it. And what I would communicate to President Trump, 541 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 3: if you were listening to your show, is, Sir, you 542 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 3: will have no better ally, no better partner in advancing 543 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 3: your law and order agenda right here in the Lone 544 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 3: Star state in a way that has national impact. And 545 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 3: by the way, I think voters know this as well, 546 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 3: and it's why they are rallying to my flag and 547 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 3: they're not rallying to my opponent's flags. 548 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 2: Aaron writes, is our guest. His last name, since a 549 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 2: number of you have asked, is spelled RAI t Z. 550 00:31:56,560 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 2: A number of Trump officials endorsing you. The expectation that 551 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:05,600 Speaker 2: I hear from the rumor mills into which I tap 552 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 2: suggests that Trump will endorse you at the appropriate time 553 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 2: to give maximum value to that. The Cruise endorsement for 554 00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 2: Chip Roy came out really early, I think, with an 555 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,479 Speaker 2: intention of trying to show there's going to be some 556 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 2: grassroots support everything that that was intended to do. Ken 557 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 2: Paxton coming out and saying, hey, he's the guy for 558 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:27,880 Speaker 2: my job. I've done my job, well, you love me. 559 00:32:28,400 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 2: He'll do a good job. I think this and the 560 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 2: US Senate race are going to be the two marquee 561 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 2: races that are going to get all the attention over 562 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,640 Speaker 2: the next few months. But I think it's safe to say, 563 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: and you've alluded to this, that this is going to 564 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 2: be an The one of the angles of this race 565 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,320 Speaker 2: is going to be the sort of Cruise Roy wing 566 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 2: of what we're once never Trumper's against the Trump world 567 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,840 Speaker 2: and their influence in an internal race in Texas with 568 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 2: you representing the Trump side, and I think we're going 569 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:07,160 Speaker 2: to see a lot of that play out because you 570 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 2: take the Cornin institutional side and you take sort of 571 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 2: more not exactly Groy Berser to that extent, but the 572 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 2: never Trump wing over here. And I think that's going 573 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:21,840 Speaker 2: to be chip Roy's folks and then the Trump world folks, 574 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 2: which obviously are already with you and he's expected to 575 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 2: be you. Is that a fair assessment. 576 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that you've got the battle lines right. 577 00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,080 Speaker 3: I mean, look, chip Roy represents the chip Roy is 578 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 3: the guy who hates President Trump so much that he 579 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:40,200 Speaker 3: went out of his way. He was the first elected 580 00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 3: official in Congress to recruit Ron DeSantis to oppose President 581 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,479 Speaker 3: Trump for the twenty four presidential cycle and then travel 582 00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 3: around the country with the other loathsome never Trumper, Thomas Massey. 583 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 3: It was chip Roy, Thomas Massey and Ron de Santis 584 00:33:56,160 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 3: buddying up, traveling the country to oppose President Trump for months. 585 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 3: And how many counties did they win? Zero? That's because 586 00:34:06,040 --> 00:34:08,640 Speaker 3: chip Roy is on the wrong side of this fight. 587 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,839 Speaker 3: The President knows it, his teams know it, his team 588 00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:15,120 Speaker 3: knows it, and the grassroots knows it. I'm very clear, 589 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 3: I'm with the President, I'm with Paxon, I'm the MAGA 590 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 3: Attorney general candidate in this race, and I think that 591 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,680 Speaker 3: folks are going to come and rally around our flag 592 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:25,200 Speaker 3: that is Aaron Wright's spelled r e 593 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 2: A t z