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State attorney general

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The state attorney general in each of the 50 U.S. states, of the federal district, or of any of the territories is the chief legal advisor to the state government and the state's chief law enforcement officer. In some states, the attorney general serves as the head of a state department of justice, with responsibilities similar to those of the United States Department of Justice.

Party affiliation of current United States attorneys general:
  Democratic (25)
  Republican (28)
  Independent (2)
  New Progressive (1)

Selection

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The most prevalent method of selecting a state's attorney general is by popular election. 43 states have an elected attorney general.[1] Elected attorneys general serve a four-year term, except in Vermont, where the term is two years.[2]

Seven states do not popularly elect an attorney general. In Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Wyoming, the attorney general is appointed by the governor.[1] The attorney general in Tennessee is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court for an eight-year term.[1][2] In Maine, the attorney general is elected by the state Legislature for a two-year term.[1][2]

The District of Columbia and two U.S. territories, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, elect their attorneys general for a four-year term. 2014 marked the first year that the District of Columbia and the Northern Mariana Islands held an election for the office. In American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the attorney general is appointed by the governor.[3] In Puerto Rico, the attorney general is officially called the secretary of justice, but is commonly known as the Puerto Rico attorney general.[4]

Many states have passed term limits limiting the selection to 2 consecutive terms (9 states); 2 terms maximum (4 states), but 33 states still have no term limits.[5]

Defense of the state in federal lawsuits

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State attorneys general enforce both state and federal laws. Because they are sworn to uphold the United States' constitution and laws as well as the state's, they may decline to defend a state law in federal preemption case.[6]

Current attorneys general

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The current party composition of the state attorneys general is:

The composition for the District of Columbia and the 5 populated territories is:

Rows of the attorney general table below are color coded indicating the political party of the office holder.

Officeholder State Party Assumed office Term expires Law school Term limits
Steve Marshall Alabama Republican February 10, 2017 2027 (term limits) University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa 2 consecutive terms
Treg Taylor Alaska Republican January 30, 2021 Appointed Brigham Young University no term limits
Fainu'ulelei Alailima-Utu American Samoa Nonpartisan January 21, 2021 Appointed University of California, Los Angeles
Kris Mayes Arizona Democratic January 2, 2023 2027 Arizona State University, Tempe 2 consecutive terms
Tim Griffin Arkansas Republican January 10, 2023 2027 Tulane University 2 terms maximum
Rob Bonta California Democratic April 23, 2021 2027 Yale University 2 terms maximum
Phil Weiser Colorado Democratic January 8, 2019 2027 (term limits) New York University 2 consecutive terms
William Tong Connecticut Democratic January 9, 2019 2027 University of Chicago no term limits
Kathy Jennings Delaware Democratic January 1, 2019 2027 Villanova University no term limits
Brian Schwalb District of Columbia Democratic January 2, 2023 2027 Harvard University
Ashley Moody Florida Republican January 9, 2019 2027 (term limits) University of Florida
Stetson University (LLM) 		2 consecutive terms
Chris Carr Georgia Republican November 1, 2016 2027 University of Georgia no term limits
Doug Moylan Guam Republican January 2, 2023 2027 Santa Clara University
Anne Lopez Hawaii Democratic December 5, 2022 Appointed University of Hawaii, Manoa no term limits
Raúl Labrador Idaho Republican January 2, 2023 2027 University of Washington, Seattle no term limits
Kwame Raoul Illinois Democratic January 14, 2019 2027 Illinois Institute of Technology no term limits
Todd Rokita Indiana Republican January 11, 2021 2025 Indiana University, Indianapolis no term limits
Brenna Bird Iowa Republican January 3, 2023 2027 University of Chicago no term limits
Kris Kobach Kansas Republican January 9, 2023 2027 Yale University no term limits
Russell Coleman Kentucky Republican January 1, 2024 2028 University of Kentucky 2 consecutive terms
Liz Murrill Louisiana Republican January 8, 2024 2028 Louisiana State University
Pepperdine University (LLM) 		no term limits
Aaron Frey Maine Democratic January 2, 2019 2025 (Elected by the Legislature) Roger Williams University 4 two year terms
Anthony Brown Maryland Democratic January 3, 2023 2027 Harvard University no term limits
Andrea Campbell Massachusetts Democratic January 18, 2023 2027 University of California, Los Angeles no term limits
Dana Nessel Michigan Democratic January 1, 2019 2027 (term limits) Wayne State University 2 terms max
Keith Ellison Minnesota Democratic (DFL) January 7, 2019 2027 University of Minnesota, Twin Cities no term limits
Lynn Fitch Mississippi Republican January 9, 2020 2028 University of Mississippi, Oxford no term limits
Andrew Bailey Missouri Republican January 3, 2023 2025 University of Missouri, Columbia no term limits
Austin Knudsen Montana Republican January 4, 2021 2025 University of Montana 2 terms in 16-year period
Mike Hilgers Nebraska Republican January 5, 2023 2027 University of Chicago no term limits
Aaron D. Ford Nevada Democratic January 7, 2019 2027 (term limits) Ohio State University, Columbus 2 terms max
John Formella New Hampshire Republican April 22, 2021 2025 (appointed) George Washington University no term limits
Matt Platkin New Jersey Democratic February 14, 2022 Appointed Stanford University no term limits
Raúl Torrez New Mexico Democratic January 1, 2023 2027 Stanford University 2 consecutive terms
Letitia James New York Democratic January 1, 2019 2027 Howard University no term limits
Josh Stein North Carolina Democratic January 1, 2017 2025 (running for Governor) Harvard University no term limits
Drew Wrigley North Dakota Republican February 9, 2022 2027 American University no term limits
Edward Manibusan Northern Mariana Islands Democratic January 13, 2015 2027 Gonzaga University
Dave Yost Ohio Republican January 14, 2019 2027 (term limits) Capital University 2 consecutive terms
Gentner Drummond Oklahoma Republican January 9, 2023 2027 Georgetown University 2 terms max
Ellen Rosenblum Oregon Democratic June 29, 2012 2025 (retiring) University of Oregon no term limits
Michelle Henry Pennsylvania Democratic January 17, 2023 2025 Widener University 2 consecutive terms
Domingo Emanuelli Puerto Rico[7] New Progressive January 2, 2021 Appointed University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
Peter Neronha Rhode Island Democratic January 1, 2019 2027 (term limits) Boston College 2 consecutive terms
Alan Wilson South Carolina Republican January 12, 2011 2027 University of South Carolina, Columbia no term limits
Marty Jackley South Dakota Republican January 3, 2023 2027 University of South Dakota 2 consecutive terms
Jonathan Skrmetti Tennessee Republican September 1, 2022 2030 (Elected by State Supreme Court) Harvard University no term limits
Ken Paxton Texas Republican January 5, 2015
Suspended: May 27, 2023 – September 16, 2023 		2027 University of Notre Dame no term limits
Gordon Rhea U.S. Virgin Islands Nonpartisan April 29, 2024 Appointed Stanford University
Sean Reyes Utah Republican December 30, 2013 2025 University of California, Berkeley no term limits
Charity Clark Vermont Democratic January 5, 2023 2025 Boston College no term limits
Jason Miyares Virginia Republican January 15, 2022 2026 College of William and Mary no term limits
Bob Ferguson Washington Democratic January 16, 2013 2025 (running for Governor) New York University no term limits
Patrick Morrisey West Virginia Republican January 14, 2013 2025 (running for Governor) Rutgers University, Newark no term limits
Josh Kaul Wisconsin Democratic January 7, 2019 2027 Stanford University no term limits
Bridget Hill Wyoming Republican January 7, 2019 Appointed University of Wyoming no term limits

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Moretto, Mario (January 23, 2015). "LePage sheds light on plan to strip Legislature of power to elect attorney general, treasurer". Bangor Publishing Company. Bangor Daily News. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Elections for Attorney General to Take Place in 30 States". National Association of Attorneys General. National Association of Attorneys General. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  3. ^ "2014 State and Territorial Attorneys General Election Results". National Association of Attorneys General. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  4. ^ "AG Spotlight: New Attorneys General". National Association of Attorneys General. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  5. ^ "Attorneys General with term limits". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  6. ^ Phillips, Amber (May 15, 2016). "Is it legal for North Carolina's attorney general to not defend the state's bathroom law?". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  7. ^ The title of the head of Puerto Rico's Justice Department is the Secretary of Justice, not Attorney General.
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