DALLAS — Attorney Joe Jaworski says he’s been working on a list he calls “Day One.” And the former mayor of Galveston says there are a number of to-do items should he become Texas attorney general.
“Number one, we’re going to reverse the pleadings on some of these intractable lawsuits that Mr. Paxton has brought. For example, suing on the Affordable Care Act. Not under the Jaworski administration. I’ll dismiss those lawsuits,” Jaworski said on Inside Texas Politics. “I think also Senate Bill 8, the Heartbeat Act, facially unconstitutional. Roe v Wade is the law of the land. I’ll reverse that.”
Jaworski also supports legalizing recreational use of marijuana. And even though it would take legislative action to change cannabis policy, Jaworski says the attorney general still has a role to play.
“As a statewide, constitutional executive candidate, I’m making the case that we remove this wasteful, petty prosecution and let’s make some money, let’s help our veterans and let’s let police and prosecutors fight real crime. I’ll make that case before the Senate,” said the Democrat.
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All of the Democratic candidates for attorney general have also said they would make voting rights a top priority.
The latest University of Texas poll shows Rochelle Garza leading the Democratic field, with Jaworski second and Lee Merritt third. Jaworski says while he’s familiar with those numbers, his campaign has seen other polls that show him leading.
But none are above the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff. And the Democratic nominee will face a well-funded Republican opponent, no matter who wins that party’s nomination.
Jaworski thinks he would be the candidate to attract the moderate vote come November, even attracting some GOP voters.
“The magic is going to be that we’re no longer a straight-ticket voting state,” he said. “And so I think that moderate Republicans who clearly agree with me that Paxton has got to go, are going to be sore when their racehorse, be it George P. Bush or Justice Guzman, lose.”
The Texas Primary is Tuesday, March 1.