Angela Paxton, the estranged wife of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, has entered the state’s heated Senate race by urging voters to support Republican candidates without directly endorsing her husband. Despite filing for divorce last year, alleging adultery, Angela Paxton has recently spoken out to encourage Texans to vote for the GOP in the midterm elections. In a speech to Republican women in mid-September, she acknowledged the party’s vulnerabilities but emphasized the importance of maintaining control. “We have to win all those races. We have to keep all of those seats,” she said, stressing the need to hold the line against Democratic gains.
Angela Paxton’s new ad, funded by Texas PAC, subtly addresses her husband’s campaign without naming him. She highlights the broader significance of the election, stating, “In a general election, it’s not as much about the individual players on the team, it’s about getting the whole team across the finish line.” The ad underscores the Republican Party’s concern over Ken Paxton’s slim poll lead against Democrat James Talarico, with experts suggesting the ad is a strategic move to rally reluctant Republican voters.
Angela Paxton, a Texas state Senator since 2019, previously worked as a math teacher and school counselor. Her divorce petition, filed in 2024, cited adultery and claimed she and Ken Paxton had stopped living as spouses by June of that year. Political analysts view her involvement in the race as a sign of the Republican Party’s anxiety over Ken Paxton’s chances, particularly among women voters. A New York Times/Siena University poll found that 51% of likely male voters in Texas supported Paxton, compared to just 40% of women.
Experts like Joshua Blank of the University of Texas at Austin and Kirby Goidel of Texas A&M University suggest that the ad is aimed at persuading Republican women, who may be hesitant to support Ken Paxton due to his legal troubles and personal scandals. Paxton has faced allegations of infidelity, a fraud indictment, and an impeachment trial, though he denies any wrongdoing. The ad’s message appears to be a plea for party unity, even if voters are dissatisfied with individual candidates.