Senator Paxton Cuts Bait on Texas AG
in Possible Blow to U.S. Senate Hopes Capitol Inside
July 10, 2025
A roller coaster ride took another wild turn for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday when his wife who's a state senator filed for divorce on grounds she portrayed as biblical in an apparent to reference to infidelity in a development that could be significant new baggage for a U.S. Senate bid in 2026.
Republican State Senator Angela Paxton of McKinney sent shock waves through political circles from Austin to Washington D.C. when she broke the news about her new marital status on social media during the lunch hour. The lawmaker lay the blame squarely on her husband without accusing him of anything specifically in the announcement on X. Paxton the state lawyer responded 20 minutes later with a post that gave the impression that the breakup was amicable and that his political opponents were responsible for it.
"After facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives," the state lawyer said on X. "I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time."
Republicans who are backing U.S. Senator John Cornyn over Paxton in the GOP primary election in March wasted no time pointing the finger at the Texas AG for wrecking the marriage with shameful behavior for which he's offered no apology or shown no remorse. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is backing the incumbent, issued a scathing condemnation of Paxton the state lawyer with words of praise and support for his spouse.
“What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting," NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement. "No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has, and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time."
Paxton the state legislator worded the initial post on the divorce filing in Collin County in a way that appeared to be seeking divine approval for the legal action when she wrote that she was moving on after 38 years of wedlock.
"I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation," the senator said in a post on X. "But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage. I move forward with complete confidence that God is always working everything together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose."
Paxton the lawmaker stood by her husband through 10 years of personal turmoil that included security fraud charges, an FBI investigation into bribery allegations and a whistleblower lawsuit that provided the springboard for a Texas House vote for his impeachment in the spring of 2023. With 60 Republicans voting to impeach, Paxton was charged with multiple counts of corruption with a mistress that he never tried to hide or deny as the linchpin to a bribery scheme involving a donor.
The Texas Senate acquitted Paxton of all charges in September 2023 in a trial that featured Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick as the judge with senators as jurors. But a special committee that Patrick appointed ruled that Angela Paxton had a conflict of interest due to the longtime relationship with the accused and could not have a vote or question witnesses during the proceedings. The AG's wife was allowed to be at her desk on the Senate floor during the two-week tribunal after being denied the right to vote on Paxton's fate like 30 colleagues. She remained stoic and supported her husband throughout the ordeal - and she even produced a video after the trial that made fun of a flimsy case the House made against him.
The state's most prominent power couple since the senator's initial election to the upper chamber in 2018, the Paxtons' marriage appeared to have survived the impeachment before the attorney general reportedly moved out a year later or thereabout. Paxton the U.S. Senate contender has appeared in pictures that have popped up online with different women who are supposedly romantic interests based on unsubstantiated speculation.
While accusations of adultery could set Paxton back to some degree in the fight with Cornyn, the attorney could afford to lose some ground as a challenger who's had substantial leads in polling on the U.S. Senate competition here. But Paxton could see the advantage shrink or disappear if the latest personal tribulation soured President Donald Trump on the AG enough to give his complete and total endorsement to Cornyn, who's been an ally in recent years.
Angela Paxton, in the meantime, won't be up for re-election until 2028 after another eash victory over a Democrat last fall.
more to come ...
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