Trump backs Paxton for re-election as Texas attorney general

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for re-election in the Lone Star State.

"Attorney General Ken Paxton has been bravely on the front line in the fight for Texas, and America, against the vicious and very dangerous Radical Left Democrats, and the foolish and unsuspecting RINOs that are destroying our Country," Trump said in a statement.

"Ken is strong on Crime, Border Security, the Second Amendment, Election Integrity and, above all, our Constitution. He loves our Military and our Vets. It is going to take a PATRIOT like Ken Paxton to advance America First policies in order to Make America Great Again. Ken has my Complete and Total Endorsement for another term as Attorney General of Texas. He is a true Texan who will keep Texas safe—and will never let you down!" Trump continued.

Paxton tweeted that he was "honored" to get the former president's support.

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, is running against Paxton. Bush currently has a photo of himself and Trump pinned at the top of his Twitter profile.

"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," Bush tweeted on Monday night.

Politico reported that Paxton "faces a criminal indictment on fraud charges and a separate FBI corruption investigation."

Paxton is also being challenged in the GOP primary by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman.

While half a year has elapsed since former President Trump departed from office, he remains a widely popular figure on the political right and has continued to weigh in on various political issues and candidates.

In a straw poll earlier this month at a CPAC event in Texas, Trump scored a whopping 70 percent when people were asked about who they would support for a Republican presidential primary, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis came in a distant second place with 21 percent.