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Ep. 18: Tony Box (Veteran, former AUSA) on Restoring Trust in the Texas AG' s Office
70 Plays10 days ago
We finalize our interviews of all Attorney General candidates with Tony Box, a veteran, former FBI agent, former federal prosecutor, and Dallas-area dad. We talk about what the AG’s office is supposed to do, and how it’s been distorted by decades of partisanship.
Tony shares his extraordinary personal story, from surviving a gunshot wound at 16, to serving as a tank commander, JAG officer, FBI agent, and white-collar prosecutor, and explains why that experience uniquely prepares him to lead the state’s top law-enforcement office.
We dig into:
- How the Texas AG became a nationalized, hyper-political office
- Why Texans deserve an AG who is a check on corruption, not a culture-war weapon
- The real, everyday responsibilities of the AG — from consumer protection to child support enforcement
- Why enforcement has collapsed as thousands of federal prosecutors leave DOJ
- How leadership, trust, and mission matter more than ideology
- What it will take to flip Texas statewide, rebuild voter trust, and prepare for 2030 redistricting
This is a conversation about service over spectacle, policy over politics, and what it actually takes to govern a state as big — and as important — as Texas.
👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations on how to flip Texas
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👉 Share this episode with one person who cares about Texas in 2030
📩 Email us: missiontexaspodcast@gmail.com
#MissionTexas #TexasPolitics #TXAG #TexasAttorneyGeneral #VeteransInPolitics #VotingRights #Redistricting #ConsumerProtection #TexasDemocrats #Election2026 #Election2030
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Mission Texas' and Guest Tony Box
00:00:00
Speaker
Howdy. This is Mission Texas. A political podcast about winning Texas by 2032 or else we may lose the White House for a generation. I'm one of your hosts, Alex Clark.
00:00:13
Speaker
And I am Kate Rumsey. Other podcasts may focus on the day-to-day the next election. But we are keeping the eyes of Texas on the bigger prize. What happens after the next census?
00:00:26
Speaker
All right. Our next guest is a former prosecutor like myself, a veteran like us. He is running for attorney general for the state of Texas. He's another one of the candidates that really excited to have.
00:00:38
Speaker
He's sponsored by VoteVets, just like me. so we're happy to have him. Welcome to the podcast, Tony Box. Thank you. Thank you so much for having me It was wonderful to be here.
Tony Box's Motivation and Early Life
00:00:48
Speaker
Yeah. So, Tony, i you have such a similar background to us. You work at a big law firm, which is, I assume, where you're at, just like the yeah know the others that are on this podcast. And but like me, I think I was just not really political before jumping into my race. And it and it seems to me you have a very similar background. Like you were not you're a public servant. You've been a lawyer and a dad here in the Dallas community. Like, so what got you into running?
00:01:14
Speaker
So i you know, you're right. um I haven't been political, follow politics closely, but never run for public office before. Never even run for a student council before. yeah So this is my first foray into politics and it's a big one.
00:01:28
Speaker
But what what got me off the sidelines and into the game is that I saw a need. And so a did I saw a need for a different kind of candidate running a different kind of campaign with a different kind of message.
00:01:43
Speaker
And so I wanted to put myself before the voters and provide an alternative. I think it's it's really is It feels like there's dark times going on it right now you know in the country and in the state of Texas. Democrats are locked out of the federal government, all branches. Democrats are locked out of all offices in the state of Texas. And so it's it's voters are hungry for something different, someone different, someone who is sincere and someone who they think can help flip that seat, flip the various seats. But in my case, the attorney general seat.
00:02:17
Speaker
and Candidly, you you very much are a different kind of candidate. Just the research we've done, kind of where you've come from, where where you've been, what you've done. um But for those listening who have not done the kind of deep dive that we have, um I'm a big comic book guy growing up as a kid. I'm very fascinated in origin stories. So tell us how you got to where you are now. What, what,
00:02:43
Speaker
What were the key events in your life that took you to to this moment? I grew up, I grew in single family home. My mom and my sister, it was three of us.
00:02:53
Speaker
And went to public high school. And when I was in high school, one one of the formidable events in my life, which I tell people, which is very true as to how I became a public servant, is when I was 16, I was working at a grocery store and I was ah helping a lady out to her car with her bags.
00:03:16
Speaker
And when I was there, a guy snatched her purse, took off running with it, and instinctively I ran after him and tackled him. And while we were on the ground wrestling, he took a gun out and shot me in the stomach.
00:03:28
Speaker
And over the course of several months, I was in a hospital and I was recovering. And I really thought about what I wanted to do with my life. And I decided that I would live a life of public service. i would I'm ah'm a religious man. I promised God that I would do that.
00:03:41
Speaker
And I really tried to maintain, keep that promise to God and and to others who I made. I wouldn't i wouldn't live it wouldn't be a waste of life. I didn't want to live my life in vain. So the best way to not waste my life is to serve others.
Career Highlights and AG Role Relevance
00:03:55
Speaker
And so from there, from ah you know a couple years later, i i joined the Army. I joined both the ROTC as well as the Army Reserves, served four years in each.
00:04:07
Speaker
And then upon graduating from college, I i was commissioned into the active Army. I a battle tank commander. And I served as ah as a tank commander.
00:04:18
Speaker
and Then from there, I went and served later, a few years later, after I left the Army as an FBI agent, missions all over the world. i was on a SWAT team, which is part of that. I served in New York after 9-11. And then...
00:04:32
Speaker
and then left the FBI and eventually worked for Congress for a couple of years. And one of the areas which is definitely relevant to my seeking of the attorney general's office was I became a federal prosecutor and prosecuted drugs, guns, violent crimes, and later transitioned to white collar large ah fraud cases.
00:04:54
Speaker
And so I think that's, I know that that is directly relevant and important for the attorney generals. And so that's a snapshot. There are there are other pivotal moments in my life, but those are some of the big ones.
00:05:05
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, think you're the only one I can think of in the race that has law enforcement background, right? And the attorney general is the top law enforcement here. And I think as somebody who also does white collar like you, we do a lot of work or see a lot of work, especially in health care fraud, with Medicare fraud ah in the attorney general's office. So i think it's really interesting about your law enforcement background, not only as a prosecutor like me in the Department of Justice, but also as an FBI agent. I mean, just being able to investigate large scale crime, especially after nine eleven And so
00:05:39
Speaker
Like, how do you perceive that experience as it relates to the attorney general's office, especially as, you know, well what it could be doing better? Because we know what our current attorney general is, you know, doing and not doing. ah So how do you how do you see that fitting in into the attorney general's role? So I think that the experience is really helpful. It's you know, it's it's it's strange because so many.
00:06:04
Speaker
Attorney General and Attorney General candidates do not have law enforcement background. They are oftentimes traditional politicians and they work their way up in a political ladder. and Next thing you know, they're either running it for Attorney General or they are the Attorney General.
00:06:16
Speaker
And so I think that they miss a key piece of experience which could help them, but I won't need that help. and Like you, I've worked a lot of cases with the attorney general's office on the white collar side and their Medicare, Medicaid investigations. Oftentimes they're part of joint task forces.
00:06:32
Speaker
And so because I work those cases, I understand those cases and I understand the nature of an investigation and a prosecution, I think I will bring that to bear on the job. And also it just as a prosecutor, I know what it takes to build a case. I know what a big case looks like. And another thing that's important is when you've held these jobs,
00:06:56
Speaker
you should know what cases to bring and how to prosecute, but also what cases not to bring. What's not a good case? What is not substantiated by the evidence? and And what is going to ultimately hurt an individual or damage the credibility of the office by bringing a very weak or a political case?
00:07:18
Speaker
when When you think about more than just competence, which I think the bar is so low for the outgoing attorney general, ah the the whole Senate hopeful Ken Paxton.
Approaches to the Attorney General Role: Republican vs. Democratic
00:07:30
Speaker
um Other than competence, what do you see as, but how would you articulate the difference between a Republican attorney general and a Democratic attorney general in Texas?
00:07:42
Speaker
I think that Republican attorney general in the past and currently are truly focused on politics. I don't see any focus on the individual voters of Texas, the citizens.
00:07:57
Speaker
There cases of against all kind of, you know, actors and and and entities and individuals who you can see that they're politically motivated. where a Democratic AG, from what I've seen, oftentimes are fighting for the people. They are seeking a recovery of funds. For example, many of these lawsuits, ah the federal government recently has taken money from the states. And a lot of Democratic AGs are fighting to get those funds, fighting successfully to get those funds back. But that's not taking place in in Texas. And I just do not see a care and concern for the voters. And I think that Democrats bring that far more than Republicans.
00:08:37
Speaker
So in other words, it could be like a check against Republican corruption. Absolutely. The Republican corruption, it's rampant. you need somebody in the attorney general's office of the most powerful, the chief legal officer of the state that can check, elected by the voters, not accountable to the governor, not accountable to the president of the United States, who's going to do the right thing and not be concerned about a making the governor mad or another politician in Washington, D.C., man.
00:09:06
Speaker
Yeah, we saw a lot of lawsuits that seem very politically motivated, right, from the current attorney general, where they're suing the Obama administration for Obamacare. They're suing Biden for X, Y, or Z. Here in where I'm from in North Texas and Coppell, they were suing our Coppell school district for what they perceived as like DEI practices. And so it's just like, you know, you you wonder, like, what are the other things that we could be doing in the state to actually like bring funds back to the voters, maybe protect voter laws. i mean, there's just so many things that seems like you could be doing that would benefit the everyday person. um But I wanted to go back to your bio a little bit and talk about your military experience and how that, you know, brings up leadership quality, especially as a commander of tanks. I mean i didn't realize that about you. That's incredible. Yeah.
00:09:56
Speaker
ah But also, you know, especially in the context of what we're seeing with recently with Venezuela, I mean, and and how you perceive that, um because as a Democrat, I mean, here in the state of Texas, how do you see your military background? and And also, how do you contextualize that with what's going on? Because I know the AG won't wouldn't necessarily be involved with what's going on with foreign policy, but certainly as a military person of a state with a lot of military in it, you probably have an opinion.
00:10:23
Speaker
Yes, I do. oh Yes, we are a military dense state. And I have an opinion because, you know, so one is you mentioned leadership ability and leadership qualities. That is really what I bring to the table as much as anything else.
00:10:38
Speaker
And so I've spent More than 20 years in the United States military combined my two different enlistments. First was as a tank commander and the second as a JAG. And so leadership experience from start to finish. And so understanding people, understanding the mission, understanding taking care of individuals first, more so than yourselves. it It's very important. People understand it. They realize it. They see it right away.
00:11:04
Speaker
And so if you're a leader of a large office like the attorney general's office, you need your people working for you and with you to trust you and to believe in you. And think the military enhances that ability to do that. It brings you credibility, but it also teaches you so how to be sincerely a leader, caring for your people.
00:11:22
Speaker
And in terms of Venezuela, I bring that I talk about that from the perspective of someone who has served overseas. I served in Iraq for nearly a year. i served in it as as a JAG officer and in a different capacity, non-military in Afghanistan for year. And so I think it's a misguided foreign entanglement that we should not be in.
00:11:44
Speaker
I think that it was rash and not well thought out policies and positions of the min administration saying we're going to run the country. First thing that comes to my mind is with whom?
00:11:56
Speaker
right Are you going to put boots on the ground? Are they military people? Over there, who wants to be Venezuela fighting over oil? Because the president has said, you know, largely this is about oil. he He said many things, but one of the things he talked about was pouring.
00:12:10
Speaker
But, ah yeah, no one wants to be over there fighting for that. We don't mind deploying, but not in a foreign entanglement for a long period of time with an uncertain mission and outcome.
00:12:22
Speaker
It's just not, it's not, it's an abuse of used soldiers and service members. and And I don't agree with him. this This office, the attorney general general's office in Texas has become so, the brand is so nationalized and polarized, right?
00:12:39
Speaker
Before the divorce, the divorce ah Angela Paxton used to brag that my husband goes to, wakes up, goes to work and sues the president, right? Whenever there's a Democratic president. um How do we rebuild trust operationally? How do we actually do that?
00:12:56
Speaker
to make people understand this is not a political office in the sense, like you described earlier, that we're going to do this for the people, that there's some higher calling that's kind of above the partisan fray, or at least there should be.
00:13:09
Speaker
Especially when the most likely Republican nominee, I think at this point, is actually a former classmate of mine, Aaron Wright, who says things like Democrats are domestic enemies and ah political violence is purely on the left and all that kind of stuff.
00:13:24
Speaker
yeah Like you seem to be swimming upstream on trying to make the office what it's supposed to be. Right. So I think that there are a lot of political actors in that office who are attracted to far right wing policies of Kim Paxton and others. And so one of the things that you're going to have to do is you're going to have to have a mass change in personnel of people who do not care about the mission of the attorney general and they just want to cater to politicians and and engage in in ah cultural wars. And so there's going to be some people who need to leave the attorney general's office and we replace them with nonpolitical actors.
00:13:59
Speaker
And second, there needs to be an understanding of everyone who works for the attorney general, that we are not a political organization. We are an organization for the people. We're an organization to carry out, to seek justice, follow the Constitution, and just inculcate that from top down.
00:14:17
Speaker
I will convey that message to every person. I will convey that message to the top lieutenants. They, in turn, will convey that message to their subordinates. And it will trickle down to every single person after that. And people understand the mission statement and understand that there's a different sheriff in town who's not going to operate the way the office is generally operated. And it it'll work because I've seen it work many, many times in the morning.
00:14:42
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's like this, you know, let's own the libs kind of mentality. And we see but like maybe he was probably, you know, using that office to do that. ah So it's good to hear to have somebody with a servant's heart to be back in that office to actually serve.
00:14:58
Speaker
other people. I'm wondering, what are your thoughts on how your campaign is going to play out? You know, you are um like, what are your goals, in the next like 30 to 60 days, especially
Campaign Strategy and Voter Connection
00:15:09
Speaker
as we gear up to the the primary? Like, what are, where are you going? are going to talk to? Like, how are you going to get your name out?
00:15:16
Speaker
So we're going anywhere and everywhere. We're talking to folks. We're doing media appearances. We're doing podcasts like this one. I have some great surrogates that are going throughout the state talking about our campaign.
00:15:30
Speaker
We are building a volunteer army and we are being as aggressive as humanly possible to try to make people aware that this campaign is here, is viable, it is a good campaign, that is competitive and it will be competitive and in 2026, which will likely be a very good year for Dames.
00:15:48
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, Kate's absolutely right. You got to focus on the here and now. you go it's ah It's a sprint to March 3rd, the primary. um If we can for a moment, though, let's let's imagine you've won 51% of the vote on March 3rd, and you don't have to worry about a runoff, and you have to switch gears immediately.
00:16:09
Speaker
For our listeners, and sorry, Tony, it just seems like right now there's probably going to be a runoff between two of y'all at this point. Maybe maybe you'll pull out ahead. i don't know.
00:16:20
Speaker
We'll see how it goes. um But once there is that shift, whether it's after March 3rd or whether it's after the runoff, How do we get this message of policy as politics? Like, it's good politics to be focused only on policy.
00:16:37
Speaker
How do we translate that into a winning electoral strategy? How do we bring in new voters into our coalition doing that? You talk to them like real people.
00:16:49
Speaker
You've helped them understand the issues on their terms. And you make them aware that this is one is make them aware how critically important the attorney general's office is, because most people don't know.
00:17:02
Speaker
And they don't know that it's the the the people's lawyer. Right. You know, it's a lawyer for all 30 plus million Texans, you know. There is no focus on the individual and to to tell them, look, this is how the attorney general impacts your life. And you should go to the voting booth well informed about what the attorney general does and the candidates. The the crazy culture war, you know, owning the lips statements of one guy and the the other guy who spent his life of public service.
00:17:32
Speaker
You know what? The best way to judge the candidates or any person on what they're going to do is what they have done in the past. And so you can look at the candidates and see who's been a public servant and who has has dedicated their life to others and who has spent their time talking about owning their lives. And so I do think you talk them like regular people, you youve meet them where they are, you help them understand.
00:17:57
Speaker
ah People are ticked right now, just incredibly mad at government. weard And so you say, look, I understand you're mad. I'm mad too. But we can't wallow in it. We have to do something about it, elect the best people. And and I'm the best person for this job.
00:18:16
Speaker
So I wanted to ask, because the attorney general, especially that office, has gotten real close to flipping the state, right? like Like Justin Nelson in 2018 got really close with Beto O'Rourke. I mean, and shows you that. And I think in one of our recent podcast episodes, we've talked to other candidates about how even down ballot races,
00:18:39
Speaker
I don't know if i would consider yours down ballot, but it's, you know, lower maybe than, you know, governor and the Senate race, but that those are some races that voters pay attention to maybe and are maybe easier to flip than others.
00:18:53
Speaker
So how do you see that, especially as we compare to other years where in specific races, like, but they're not, it's not a monolith, like not all the races are being ah tied together. I'm sure like a lot of voters are going to be block voting. but there are people that are paying attention to that vote differently in different races. So how do you see that compared to other years, especially the golden year of 2018, which we talk a lot about where we got within percentage points?
00:19:18
Speaker
Yeah. So I think that this is a year that's comparable to 2018, but better. So 2018 was a Trump midterm. This is a Trump midterm. Voters were ticked. Voters are really ticked right now.
00:19:30
Speaker
ah The environment is favorable to the Dems. We have a great slate of candidates who every, regardless of who wins the offices, they're going to bring something really different. and they're going to bring constituencies, and and they're going to, it's going to be, a I believe, a greater voter turnout.
00:19:48
Speaker
There's going to be more Democrats to turn out. And so, and and many of them, as you alluded to, will be splitting their ticket or will be choosing, you know, one person and maybe leaving something blank on another. But I think that ah this year is going to be extremely favorable. It's been like,
00:20:05
Speaker
nearly three decades since the Dem won statewide ah in Texas. Well, just in Florida, Miami, just not even two months ago, or at the very end of last year, after 28 years, a Democrat won the mayor's race of Miami for the first time in 28 years. And so it can be done. I tell people all the time, just because it's hard doesn't mean it's impossible.
00:20:26
Speaker
And this is not going to be easy, but it's it's it is our very best year, very best opportunity. And so we can do it. what they did in 2018 with Beto. He did a phenomenal job energizing folks. And so if i if it were one day after I win the primary, I'm out.
00:20:44
Speaker
conveying that message that I just gave to you. We can win this. We can do hard things. We need to bond together and an work like heck to support each other. I think that the Democratic Party in Texas is doing a good job. They have Democrats on every in every race.
00:20:59
Speaker
That's going to help Jews turn out. And so when you add all of that, it's doable and very possible. I think you're absolutely right. I think we are uniquely pessimistic sometimes, Texas Democrats.
00:21:12
Speaker
and I think that's part of why we have the longest losing statewide streak. There's no reason for it. I think attorney general is one of those races that is often the race that gut does win, even in very red states, because I think voters can understand what you're talking about, that this is supposed to be an office that is for them, not for political grandstanding, not for wasting the state's money on meritless lawsuits, that kind of thing.
00:21:34
Speaker
But Help me understand like exactly how we're going to do the work of getting out the vote um and bringing those people over. Because we know that millions of people in 2018 even voted for Greg Abbott.
00:21:52
Speaker
but then also voted for Beto O'Rourke and Justin Nelson. Right? So how do we make sure that those types of people who maybe they're on they are on the fence, maybe they just need some sort of permission structure to to come over into our tent?
00:22:08
Speaker
How do we signal that other than, you know, obviously, in in your individual conversations, you're very compelling, but how do we make sure that a state this big can can hear what they need to hear?
00:22:20
Speaker
I think there's a lot of money, effort, and energy that's going according to be pour into the state. And we are all, all the candidates are focused on winning the state.
00:22:32
Speaker
ah We do realize there's a lot of politicians that talk about it. heard Colin talk about it, Tallarico, Jasmine. ah The they lack of percentage of people who don't vote in the state, is I think if we have the lowest percentage out of any state.
00:22:46
Speaker
is what I heard. And so we really do need to crank up our voters' registration. Tell people, you're registered, but you know people who are not registered. Please go out and do that.
00:22:58
Speaker
I remember when Obama was running and how well that was done. You know, people were calling everyone that they knew to say, vote for this guy or take a look at this guy. And so we need we really do need to take a person-by-person approach. of Every one of our counties and spend time there, people feel neglected.
00:23:19
Speaker
And if you explain, like just like you said, Alex, if you explain to them how important this office is, that they have a a guy like me, ah you know, veterans highest approval rating in terms of the type of people that voters trust. We have a veterans with dense population.
00:23:35
Speaker
People generally are receptive to sincere messages, and they can see a fake politician from a mile away. And so I think that once we get out there, it's going to take work. It's going to take door knocking. It's going to take lot of money, and it's going to take a nose to the grindstone for months and months and months months.
00:23:54
Speaker
But as it'll be worth it. I'm curious, Tony, because it seems like you weren't as politically involved like me and you're kind of an outsider coming in. Like, do have any like first impressions of what's going on? Like anything that has surprised you is about about campaigning so far? Because like right now, I know that it's kind of endorsement season and we're like right before the primaries. Is there anything that you're like, OK, I didn't realize it was going to be like this or I'm really pleased to see or have hope, you know.
00:24:19
Speaker
Is there anything like that that you're coming in? Because I had a lot of first impressions and I thought, whoa, I had no idea it was like this. And um they're really surprised. Yeah, it's a lot. It's a ton. So one is ah how big the state is, how difficult it is to get around the state, how much money it takes ah to to communicate, the methods, the various ways you must pay attention to in order to communicate. So whether it's social media or in person online,
00:24:47
Speaker
television. So those are all things, you know, the mechanics of campaigning that surprised me. But I am also surprised when talking to people, it's a lot of fun to hear people tell you their stories and to, ah you know, it's if it's touching ah in ah an extreme way when people say, I believe you and I trust you.
00:25:09
Speaker
I'll give you my heart on money. We've had thousands and thousands of donors, small donors who had said, You know, times are tough, but here's a small amount of money. And I don't take that lightly. And so all those things are surprising. I didn't know that I would have this many thousands of people supporting me.
00:25:26
Speaker
and And I'm heartened by it. I'm humbled by it. And so yeah every day is a surprise, something different. Same. And I think i I also was working at the same time as probably you are. So I'm wondering, like, how do you how are you working or are are you working still? Like, how are you doing that? i know you got some kids at home. I think they're in college. I think I saw they all own Morehouse guys. So how are you doing it? How are you doing that personally, just balancing it all and also getting around the state? Because I I wonder that, too, because that's the realities of the job. How do you campaign all over the state while maintaining, you know,
00:26:01
Speaker
any semblance of being able to do work and um being a father. Yeah, I've put back on my work. I haven't stopped working, but I work less and I spend more time on the campaign because it demands it. And so it's a very difficult balancing act.
00:26:17
Speaker
And you spend a lot of time thinking about the best ways to balance your time. And so I sleep less, I work more. And I try to be as humanly efficient as possible with both, with both my job and with my campaign. Sarah did help ah people who are friends, people who are new new supporters who want to speak on our behalf, who want to get the message out. And so that's how I'm doing it. We're trying to leverage social media and other types of media.
00:26:47
Speaker
And so, yes, I'm working and and maintaining a practice, a legal practice. At the same time, your companion is not for the faint of heart. And it's an important reminder for our listeners that these candidates are real people.
00:27:00
Speaker
and they have real responsibilities outside of campaigning and trying to make our state a better place. And so anything we can do on a personal level to help them goes a long way.
00:27:12
Speaker
And it's it's going to be very important. I know the kind of thesis of this show is not focused on one election or on one news cycle. We're talking about what's coming down the pike in 2030 when we have five new potential congressional districts added and all this new political power.
00:27:29
Speaker
ah For those of you tracking that, you need to understand that the attorney general's office is going to be critical after the 2030 census because the decision to defend or not to defend the maps that get passed by hopefully a democratic legislature,
00:27:48
Speaker
um that's that's going to be the attorney general to decide how and to what degree to get involved in all that. I'm very pro-voter, right? I don't understand that the...
00:28:01
Speaker
the move a foot ah to make it more less difficult to vote.
Political Accountability and District Competitiveness
00:28:07
Speaker
I'm very much that you should make it easier to vote. And it's good for legal folks who are legal residents and who have the right to vote to vote. And the hurdles that are put up to stop voting is extremely disturbing.
00:28:19
Speaker
Thoughtball question related to that. Should the districts be competitive to make the politicians more accountable or should they be very safe for the parties? They should be competitive to make the politicians more accountable.
00:28:31
Speaker
look You know, they should be competition is good. Anyone, whether you play sports or not, you just understand the competition is good and it makes you work harder. And if you don't have competition, then you get lazy.
00:28:42
Speaker
So, yeah. Lazy and corrupt. play of why why why Why bother with trying to get everybody's votes? You don't need them anymore. you just need your primary voters and you're good.
00:28:52
Speaker
Well, Tony, um we like to talk about ah good news. So if there's a any good news that you want to share with all of us, i we'll go around and shit whether that's personal or political or professional.
00:29:06
Speaker
Obviously, you jumping in this race is a huge amount of good news. But anything else going on in your life? I think, yes, lot. um This race lately in the last couple months,
00:29:18
Speaker
um I have rekindled so many good friendships from around the world ah that i people I've met who have contacted me, or maybe I've contacted them, who I fell out of touch with, and now ah we are communicating again. And so if there's one good thing to come out of this campaign, which there are many, but one piece of good news is I'm having an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with people I care about.
00:29:42
Speaker
And when I'm not talking about politics, one of the things I talk about is or or law. I talk about mental health and taking care of your mental health and relationships. And I talk to my sons.
00:29:57
Speaker
ah They call their 20s. They call their generation the loneliest generation, even though they're the most connected. And so i talked to them about meaningful relationships and about how to maintain those and how very, very important they are.
00:30:10
Speaker
And so having these friendships and telling them and talking to folks, it's important to me It's good news. That's a great good news. Yeah. um Alex, you got any good news to share? I do. I'm going to I'm going to use this opportunity to humble brag for just a moment. I had to keep this under wraps according to the rules laid down by D Magazine.
00:30:33
Speaker
But I was recently named in the most recent edition of D Magazine as one of the best lawyers under 40. I know you were all surprised who are looking at the video that I am under 40 because of my big gray beard. but I, in fact, I turned 36 in November. So yeah I have a few more years of of being under 40. Hopefully I can continue to win this thing.
00:30:56
Speaker
Yeah. Hope you do. Yeah, I guess if I were to share some good news, I ah just some personal, went to Vegas recently, and I saw the Backstreet Boys at the Sphere.
00:31:08
Speaker
So that was a lot of fun for me and my one of my best friends. We got to go out there just for a little bit of a break. And that was nice. You know, I saw the hustle of our jobs and being in the podcast and everything else just in politics. And so many things are so negative, it feels like and you need just need something to like give you a little bit of a smile. And it gave me a big smile to be able to go out there with one of my best friends. That's some some good news from all of us. Well, can we going do a quick lightning round? Because you brought up the Backstreet Boys.
00:31:37
Speaker
I'm going to expand it beyond Backstreet Boys in case Tony's not a fan personally. So I'm going say, ah favorite boy band song, go.
00:31:47
Speaker
Kate, you can go first since you saw them. And Tony can be thinking about his favorite boy band song. I don't know, like I guess that favorite boy band song with Backstreet Boys. You know, they had so many good ones. I went that way. Gosh, it's so many good ones from that concert and the album that they had on.
00:32:08
Speaker
But my friend and I, we ah saw NSYNC together too when we were kids. So there's a lot of NSYNC songs, especially around Christmas. You know, their big NSYNC Christmas song, I think was a a really good one. um Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:20
Speaker
Right now, because I have a little girl obsessed with K-pop demon hunters, my my my favorite boy band song is Soda Pop by the Saja Boys. Yes, we love Soda Pop. i done My daughter sings it at home. but ah Tony, did do you see K-pop?
00:32:37
Speaker
and No. It's all right. Your kids are not really of that age anymore. Yeah. Your sons are like, I'm not seeing that. the welcome hoer um Bye Bye Bye. Okay. Yes.
00:32:50
Speaker
That's a classic. We want to say that to the Republicans in our government. Yeah. Maybe I'll have this plan in the background of the night we win. Well, didn't yeah didn't like Ryan Reynolds bring it back for the new Deadpool movie? Wasn't there like a whole Bye Bye Bye scene? Yeah.
00:33:07
Speaker
Yeah, he was doing the like, yeah, yeah I remember that. um Speaking of Tony, do you have any like pump you up songs like when you're about to like call a bunch of donors to get you like I need to like really get in the mood or I'm about to go like give a speech like do you have anything that like an anthem that you that you're thinking about?
00:33:25
Speaker
So I like, I'm not going to throw away my shot. is' I'm a Hamilton guy. Hamilton guy. Me too. Me too. This is my shot. And ah know I don't plan on wasting it.
00:33:37
Speaker
And so, yeah, that's what want. Got a signed playbill. Emmanuel Miranda, the 10 year anniversary. No way. it was ah It was a thing donating to the Texas Civil Rights Project, actually.
00:33:51
Speaker
Very excited to get this. Well, ah Tony, we are, that's all of our good news and some lightning round questions. Do you want to wrap up with the last word, you know, the we give every guest, you know, what do you think it's going to take? We talked a little bit about it, but, you know, I think a lot of people, especially someone like you might think be thinking like, what's the plan? You know, how can people help with the plan?
00:34:11
Speaker
And so what do you think it's is it really going to take to flip Texas? and Like, what are all the factors combined that you think? And are we obviously this coming fall? Yeah, not just your race and not just your race. Right. Like, like big, big picture. 2030, we need the legislature so we can get some good maps. 2032, so we can use those newfound electoral votes to help get a Democratic president. All that. Like what the long, the long views.
00:34:37
Speaker
One thing that we need to do is to understand that Texas is a huge state where people have disparate interests, right? Disparate things going on. Maybe it's the rural communities where the hospitals are closing, but in urban communities, there are different interests. So we have to speak to people.
00:34:54
Speaker
according to their interests and not just engage in consult and speak and be afraid to be sincere, engage in radical honesty and radical sincerity with folks about what's going on. And even if the news is not great, you have to take your medicine sometimes in order to feel better.
00:35:15
Speaker
And so Having those conversations, understanding that West Texas is different from East Texas, is different North Texas, is different South Texas, and being smart about constituencies, who you speak to, ah but but honest.
00:35:29
Speaker
Not just, you know, just just talking to them and making false promises. And so, yeah, that's all of our politicians need to do that. They don't need to engage. Be afraid to say what their position is. Just be honest, you know, just be honest. And and people will understand that. They'll feel that coming from you.
00:35:49
Speaker
you know How are you imagining that kind of communication and being able to talk to voters? I think you you talked a lot about door knocking. I'm wondering like how much door knocking have you been doing? um and But also, how do you plan to communicate? There's a lot of texts and mailers and media and you've got to buy media buys. like How do you see that with the AG's race, especially as it fits with all the other races going on and like on the slate you know come that fall?
00:36:17
Speaker
yeah it's a Like you said, it's down ballot, but not far down ballot. And so the oxygen will be sucked up by people running for Senate and governor.
00:36:29
Speaker
a lot of oxygen. And so when there is an opportunity to speak, we have to do all those things you said. Media buys. You have to get on the air.
00:36:40
Speaker
You have to do advertising the mail. I have a mail firm that's going to help us get mailers out. So I can introduce myself to the voters. And door knocking, how much door knocking have we done? We've done quite a bit.
00:36:53
Speaker
ah We are likely going to partner with other people. We didn't, you know, the the folks in SD9 at Senate race that's going on. That's very encouraging. They're doing good.
00:37:04
Speaker
amount of door knocking. So we're going to collaborate with them and go out, on talk to voters. At the same time, we're helping Taylor. We're going to talk to them about our race. And so it's going to be a lot. And I have a good number of young volunteers, energetic.
00:37:21
Speaker
And so we are going to, they love door knocking. they have no hesitation. that gets It gets them out, it gets them off their computers, and and it gives them a community. Like what I spoke about earlier, folks being lonely, it is it is really...
00:37:37
Speaker
wonderful for to see folks forming a community around this campaign of getting together and mailing letters and and thank you notes and and making calls on our behalf.
00:37:48
Speaker
And so we're going to try to continue to build up our volunteer base and to do all those things you mentioned. We're going to have to spend money to get on the air.
00:37:59
Speaker
but but You know, i think people are receptive to this campaign. I've done a good number of media appearances because people want to hear about <unk> about the plan, hear about how are we going to replace Kim Paxton, who's going to be the best guy to do that.
00:38:13
Speaker
I say guy because there's three Democrats running, but who's the best person to do that in his race? yeah and If someone wants to volunteer or or donate to you or become become the next intern for the Box campaign or whatever it is, yeah how can they support you? How they how can they find you?
00:38:30
Speaker
What's the best way to get connected? So Tony Box for Texas is my website and it's also all my socials. And there is a volunteer link there.
00:38:42
Speaker
And if there a if you volunteer, someone will contact you and Donate. There's also opportunity to donate there. but weve I've mentioned a couple of times, a very big state, incredibly expensive state ah to get around and to advertise in.
00:38:58
Speaker
Some people have told me, if you had $100 million, dollars you still couldn't advertise adequately in the state of Texas. Four big giant markets, they're all their own media markets. They're all very expensive to advertise in.
00:39:11
Speaker
You have a ton of mid markets and you have a ton of small areas and you're not going to be able to get in front of every person, but you do the very best you can. And so please contact me, read more about us at Tony Boxer, Texas, follow us on our socials.
00:39:25
Speaker
And that's how folks can help us. Amazing. Well, anything else, Tony, that you want to share with us about the race or how you perceive the AG's office since we have a little bit of time?
AG Office Functions and Current Challenges
00:39:36
Speaker
So I do perceive, yeah, I want to talk a little bit about the function of the AG's office. So when folks don't understand what the AG does, people ask me and i try to tell them that it's the it's the lawyer for all Texans. And some of the things that the AG office does, some of the priorities of the statutory priorities and some of the priorities of the various AGs and some of my priorities.
00:40:01
Speaker
So one of them is, you know, child support enforcement. People don't know about that. The AG office is one of the is the principal enforcement agency for child support enforcement.
00:40:11
Speaker
And so ah mean that it may not affect your life or it may not be important to you until it's important to you. Right. and And courts have ordered child support and people Evade that.
00:40:24
Speaker
People who are not good actors don't want to pay their responsibilities. And you need an attorney general who really cares about that, who understands that people are being hurt. i is I have personal experience with it. When when my dad was ordered to take pay child support, he evaded it for years.
00:40:40
Speaker
And so it affects people. And it's not right. An attorney general should treated with importance that it deserves. And so, and of course there's consumer protection, which I don't believe the attorney general office for years has spent time or energy on it. They've instead sued the federal government every chance they got or or sued Beto or some other Democrat democrat or some other woke party that they both they perceive as woke. So that type of enforcement is also important. And I think that my background lends itself to to being able to speak about that.
00:41:16
Speaker
well and to understand it and to build a a wonderful team. Kate, I know you're in the DOJ. You know, one of the things that of what i would hope to do is to bring in some of this talent that is available. So it's a lot of DOJ folks and other folks who are left to government because they or do not agree with what's going on. And so I do hope to bring in some of that good talent that's out there.
00:41:41
Speaker
Yeah, i think that's a really important point. Yeah. Because I know a lot of colleagues that you may know also, Tony, that have left the DOJ. I mean, I don't know if our listeners or anyone really is paying attention to that, but just about everybody's leaving.
00:41:56
Speaker
and And there's a huge gap right now in law enforcement and talent and people who I thought were career federal prosecutors, honestly, like people I thought were going to be in the DOJ for the rest of their lives until retirement have left ah to go to private practice. And so I think making that point of like, we need to bring back, you know, some really good lawyers and talent and also make that an attractive place for lawyers want wanting to go to to, to do the job because they can be the advocate for consumers. They can be the advocate for kids, for all the other issues, Medicaid fraud, you know, the insurance companies. So,
00:42:33
Speaker
I'm really glad you you you brought that up, um because do you so perceive that in the legal market? Because and know we're all lawyers here, but our listeners might not be. But can you speak to that, too, from your own personal experience?
00:42:45
Speaker
Yeah, sure. I don't know if this number is correct, but I think it's probably not far off. I heard 5000 prosecutors have left DOJ. It's a huge number and it affects what goes on in the world.
00:42:58
Speaker
I mean, these cases, these white collar cases are not being worked. They are not being having the tension focused on them that they should. And so there are a lot of bad actors who are getting away with fraud and all kinds of crimes because the government, this administration has largely retreated from enforcement, whether it's you You name every type of enforcement, health care enforcement, tax cases. I work a lot of tax cases.
00:43:22
Speaker
ah The IRS is is a shell of what it used to be. And so they don't have the ability to work these really big cases. And so it affects everybody. If you're a victim of a crime, and I see this all the time, literally at least once a week, someone says, I contacted the FBI or DOJ and I could not get help.
00:43:43
Speaker
In many cases, the attorney general should be able to step in. Once somebody got the fraud, I think it was $3 million, dollars recently called me. And I said, did you call the attorney general's office? And they said, yes, but they said that they can't help me.
00:43:55
Speaker
And I find that to be a i find it to be appalling. Someone should take the complaint and investigate it. <unk> It's a shame. But these people, like you like you mentioned, Kate, a lot of these prosecutors who have left, they're public servants in their heart. They want to remain public servants if they can, but they just couldn't. It was untenable in this administration, so they left.
00:44:18
Speaker
Yeah, no I'm so glad all are both bringing this up. I mean, one of my good friends from law school, ah one of the very best of us, like, crazy smart, like over a 4.0 GPA type person, you know what i mean?
00:44:30
Speaker
And he was at the, university ah he was at the DOJ up until very recently where he just, he couldn't stomach being there and they're under the way it's being run now. Yeah. It was never about money or prestige for him. It was about service.
00:44:46
Speaker
Like it's the only thing that explains someone like him taking a job pays a government salary right i mean he he could be out there in big law making all all the money um and you know hopefully we can get him back into a role like that and maybe uh you know creating a texas he can come home to and join uh an administration run by it by you or one of your competitors i mean that would be just an incredible boon uh for the state to have really high caliber people in the interest of serving the people
00:45:18
Speaker
plan to really bulk up that enforcement day the the consumer protection branch. They have consumer protection branch, but it doesn't do consumer protection the way it should. And I plan to really bulk that area.
00:45:30
Speaker
Well, Tony, thank you so much for being on, helping on with us. We know you're busy with your campaign. We're wishing you the best of luck. We look forward to seeing what happens in the primary.
00:45:41
Speaker
We love to support veterans. I love that you are supporting Taylor, who's also a veteran, a veteran, you know, supporting veterans. ah So thank you so much, Tony. we We're going to sign off for now and say ah God bless Texas.
00:45:55
Speaker
You can follow us on all socials at Mission Texas Podcast. Email us at missiontexaspodcast at gmail.com. This episode is edited by Juan Jose Flores.
00:46:07
Speaker
Our music bumper is by Adam Pickerel, and our cover art is by Tino Sohn.