State Sen. Angela Paxton announced Thursday she has filed for divorce from her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
性视界传媒淚 believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation,性视界传媒 Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, said in a post on X. 性视界传媒淏ut 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.性视界传媒
In his own statement, Attorney General Paxton cited the 性视界传媒減ressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny性视界传媒 as the reason the couple had 性视界传媒渄ecided to start a new chapter.性视界传媒
Attorney General Paxton is currently running against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next year性视界传媒檚 Republican primary, after close to a decade as attorney general. Senator Paxton was elected in 2019 to represent the North Texas Senate district that her husband represented before his elevation to statewide office. She was reelected to another four-year term in November.
Paxton性视界传媒檚 record of aggressively suing the Biden administration is matched only by his penchant for scandal, culminating in his impeachment by the Texas House of Representatives in 2023. The Republican-controlled Senate acquitted him after a nearly two-week trial.
Angela Paxton attended her husband性视界传媒檚 trial but was not allowed to vote on any issues or participate on deliberations over whether to convict or acquit.
The impeachment claims focused on benefits Paxton provided to Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, as well as an alleged extramarital affair the attorney general had with a former Senate aide. According to investigators, the affair ended briefly in 2019 after Angela Paxton learned of it, then resumed in 2020. The woman he allegedly had an affair with was called to testify before the Senate and came to the chamber, but left without speaking.
Ken Paxton has weathered several political and legal scandals since his impeachment acquittal. Last year, prosecutors agreed to drop a nine-year-old felony securities fraud case against him. He has also closed the door on a federal investigation into corruption allegations his former aides lodged with the FBI and overcome a State Bar of Texas attempt to sanction him over his move to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Paxton has yet to see any of his legal troubles spill over to the ballot box, twice winning reelection amid pending scandal. Still, the divorce filing threatens to disrupt his bid for U.S. Senate by playing into Cornyn性视界传媒檚 attacks on his spotty ethics record.
The news could also complicate Paxton性视界传媒檚 active efforts to win the endorsement of President Donald Trump, whose stamp of approval could help decide the primary. Trump discussed the race Wednesday night with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and operatives from the Senate GOP性视界传媒檚 top super PAC, Punchbowl News reported.
