With their Republican nominations in hand, the two are favored to win their GOP-leaning seats in November to replace outgoing Reps. Jodey Arrington and Wesley Hunt.

Middleton, a conservative state senator and oil and gas executive, put more than $16 million of his own money into the race.

The attorney general’s victory is a crushing blow to the Texas GOP’s old guard, which has faltered in recent years against the Paxton-led insurgent wing.