Nathan Matthew Johnson (born February 12, 1968) is an American politician, lawyer, and composer serving as a member of the Texas Senate for the 16th district. In the November 6, 2018, election, Johnson defeated incumbent Republican Don Huffines to become the first Democrat to represent the district in over three decades. Johnson is the Democratic nominee in the 2026 Texas Attorney General election.
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Early life and education
Johnson is a native of Fort Worth, Texas. He received a B.S. in physics from the University of Arizona in 1990 and a J.D. degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1993. In college, he volunteered for victims of domestic violence.
Legal and music career
Johnson practices business law and bankruptcy law. He co-founded a law firm specializing with business disputes, while working pro-bono for Human Rights Initiative of North Texas.
In 2019, Johnson joined Thompson & Knight LLP (which later merged under Holland & Knight) as counsel for the Dallas trial practice group. In July 2023, Johnson joined Thompson Coburn, where he practices commercial litigation in Dallas.
Johnson owned a music production company, where he composed music for the Funimation Entertainment-produced uncut English dub of the Dragon Ball Z anime.
Texas Senate
In 2018, Johnson ran for Texas State Senate in District 16. The district had been shifting to align with the Democrats and in an upset Johnson defeated incumbent Republican Don Huffines by eight percent.
During the impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton, Paxton's attorneys made a motion to disqualify Johnson and two other senators from serving as jurors in the case, claiming they had shown bias and could not be impartial. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick dismissed this motion.
In 2024, Johnson faced a primary challenge from State Representative Victoria Neave Criado who accused him of being too moderate and not in step with the Democratic Party, specifically when it came to immigration policy. Johnson won the primary with just under 60% of the votes.
Political positions
Johnson has frequently pushed for legislation related to expanding access to medical care in the state. This includes authoring legislation to expand the definition of palliative care, decriminalize the use of fentanyl testing strips, and expand Medicaid.
The Texas Tribune notes that Johnson's centrist voting record is nearly indistinguishable from most of the other Democrats in the Texas Senate, according to political scientists, and he has generally avoided partisan attacks from the left.
Committee assignments
Source:
89th Legislature
Jurisprudence (Vice-Chair)
Business & Commerce
Economic Development
Transportation
Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
88th Legislature
Jurisprudence (Vice-Chair)
Administration
Business & Commerce
Texas Energy Fund Advisory
Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
87th Legislature
Administration (Vice-Chair)
Business & Commerce
Jurisprudence
Redistricting, Special
Water, Agriculture, and Rural Affairs
86th Legislature
Administration
Health and Human Affairs
Veteran Affairs and Border Security
Water and Rural Affairs
2026 Attorney General bid
On July 15, 2025, Johnson announced his bid for the 2026 Texas Attorney General election, seeking to replace four-term Ken Paxton who is running for United States Senate. His opponents in the primary were Dallas attorney Tony Box and Joe Jaworski, former Mayor of Galveston and candidate for Attorney General in 2022. In the March 2026 primary Johnson received the most votes with 48.1% followed by Jaworski with 26.4% and Box with 25.5%. Since no candidate received a majority of the vote, Johnson and Jaworski advanced to a runoff election held on May 26, 2026. Johnson won the runoff with 60.5% of the vote. He will face fellow state senator and Republican nominee Mayes Middleton in the general election.