Ken Paxton has faced years of investigations, political fights and controversies as he now takes on Democrat James Talarico in the Texas Senate race.

Published on: Oct 5, 2026, 01:40:06 IST

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Ken Paxton has faced years of political battles, investigations and controversy. Now, the Texas attorney general is heading into another major fight, this time for a US Senate seat.

Paxton will face Democrat James Talarico in one of the closely watched Senate races in the country. Talarico defeated Representative Jasmine Crockett in a costly and closely fought Democratic primary.

How did Ken Paxton get here?

Paxton defeated incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary in May 2026.

Cornyn and his allies spent more than $90 million on advertising. The race went to a runoff. President Donald Trump then endorsed Paxton, and Paxton won the runoff decisively.

Forbes says Paxton has built his political image around MAGA causes. He has described himself as a “loyal supporter of President Trump.”

Who is Ken Paxton's wife?

As per People, Paxton married Angela Paxton in 1986. They met at Baylor University in Texas. Ken was student body president and earned a psychology degree. Angela earned a degree in mathematics and computer science. She worked as a public school teacher and educator from 1991 to 2017, per her LinkedIn profile.

Angela was elected to the Texas Senate in November 2018 and took office in January 2019. She represents District 8, per her official bio. As per NBC News, she was barred from voting in her husband's 2023 impeachment trial.

In July 2025, Angela filed for divorce after 38 years of marriage. She wrote on X, "I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation," she wrote. “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.”

She accused Ken of adultery in a divorce filing obtained by KUT and The New York Times. The document also showed the couple had not lived together since June 2024. He wrote on X that he and Angela "decided to start a new chapter" in their lives “after facing pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny.”

Who are Ken Paxton's children?

Ken and Angela have four adult children: Tucker, Abby, Mattie and Katie. They also have several grandchildren. According to People, Mattie has four children with her husband, including twins born in September 2024.

In November 2020, Angela shared on Facebook that Abby was a first lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

What is Ken Paxton's net worth?

According to Forbes, Paxton is worth roughly $13 million. His wealth is spread across real estate in five states, several million dollars in mutual funds, and a valuable state pension.

Forbes adds that some of his assets are in a blind trust. He and his wife are beneficiaries of it. So, as per Forbes, his financial position could be larger than the current estimates.

What controversies has Ken Paxton faced?

Paxton has spent much of his career under investigation or in scandal. But he has never been convicted.

• 2018 race: As per PBS, Democrat Justin Nelson ran TV ads showing security camera footage of Paxton pocketing an expensive pen that did not belong to him. Nelson also made Paxton's securities fraud indictment central to his campaign. Paxton still won, but by only 3.6 percentage points.
• 2022 race: According to PBS, George P Bush put up billboards saying "he's a crook" next to Paxton's mugshot from the securities fraud charge. At the time, Paxton was also under federal investigation over claims that he abused his position to help an Austin real estate developer, took bribes and punished whistleblower employees. Paxton beat Bush in a runoff by 34 percentage points.
• Impeachment: The Texas House voted to impeach Paxton. In 2023, the Texas Senate held a trial on charges of misconduct and bribery, as per Forbes. The Senate found him not guilty and let him stay in office.
• Court cases: The securities fraud case against Paxton ended in 2024. He was told to pay nearly $300,000 to the people affected. Also in 2024, Biden's Justice Department decided not to take Paxton to court after a federal investigation that lasted for years, according to PBS.

Talarico promised at a rally in Houston to "prosecute the case" against Paxton. He called him "the most corrupt politician in America."

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