Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator and the estranged wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton, said in a new ad she will be "voting for the Republican ticket" without naming her husband. She argued the general election is about preserving GOP control rather than focusing on individual candidates. The remarks echo an earlier call for Republican women to back party nominees despite reservations. A New York Times/Siena poll shows Democrat James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by six points.
Angela Paxton Endorses GOP Ticket in New Ad While Avoiding Her Estranged Husband's Name
Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, Ken Paxton estranged wife, walks through the Senate Chamber during his impeachment trial at the Texas Capitol in Austin, on Sept. 16, 2023. - Eric Gay/AP/File
Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator and the estranged wife of Attorney General Ken Paxton, released a new advertisement saying she will be "voting for the Republican ticket" — notably without naming her husband. The ad frames the general election as a choice about party control rather than about any single candidate.
"Let's talk about the elephant in the room. 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," Angela Paxton says in the ad. "Either we hold every Republican seat or we hand the future of Texas to the other team. That's why I'm voting for the Republican ticket on November 3."
Angela Paxton filed for divorce from Ken Paxton last year and publicly accused him of adultery. Despite that personal rift, she and others in Republican circles have emphasized the importance of maintaining GOP control in statewide and federal offices.
The ad follows a September speech in which Angela Paxton urged Republican women to back GOP nominees even if voters have reservations about particular candidates. In that address she similarly declined to name her estranged husband, saying party control matters more than the imperfections of any single officeholder.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, listens as his estranged wife, Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton, speak to anti-abortion activists at a rally outside the Supreme Court, on Nov. 1, 2021. - Jacquelyn Martin/AP/File
Ken Paxton has been a polarizing figure in Texas politics. He was impeached by the Texas House over years-long corruption allegations and later acquitted by the state Senate; he has continued to serve as attorney general. The U.S. Senate race in Texas has become more competitive than in past cycles, and recent polling reflects that shift.
A New York Times/Siena poll released recently showed Democratic nominee James Talarico leading Ken Paxton by six percentage points, underscoring the competitive nature of the race in a state Republicans have long considered reliably red.
In a separate campaign video posted by Ken Paxton, his daughter Mattie Hayworth defended her father and criticized Democrats on economic issues. "When they come after you, my dad goes after them," she says in the clip, which also features her partner and children.
Photo: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, listens as his estranged wife, Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton, speaks to anti-abortion activists at a rally outside the Supreme Court on Nov. 1, 2021. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Help us improve.
