Ken Paxton finalizes divorce from wife Angela days after crushing Senate election defeat

WASHINGTON,DC: Ken Paxton is facing a fresh personal setback following his defeat in the Texas Senate race, with his 38-year marriage officially coming to an end.

The Republican attorney general and his wife, state Senator Angela Paxton, have finalized their divorce, just days after Democrat James Talarico handed him a double-digit election loss.

The split also brings renewed attention to the infidelity allegations that led Angela to seek an end to their marriage.

Ken Paxton's marriage ends!

Ken and Angela Paxton's divorce was officially finalized on Thursday, November 12, with the Texas attorney general's legal team confirming that the two had reached a settlement.

Paxton's attorney, Laura Roach, described the resolution as amicable, but declined to disclose the financial or other terms of the agreement.

The settlement brings an end to a marriage that had been deteriorating long before the divorce became public.

Angela filed for divorce in July 2025, nearly 16 months before the proceedings were concluded.

At the time, she said she had made efforts to save the relationship but could no longer continue with the marriage without compromising her beliefs.

Describing marriage as a sacred commitment, she pointed to what she called "recent discoveries" behind her decision.

Her divorce petition specifically cited adultery as grounds for ending the 38-year marriage.

It also revealed that the couple had been living separately since around June 2024, suggesting their relationship had broken down more than a year before the filing.

While the divorce proceedings were underway, Paxton's personal life continued to attract attention.

He was photographed travelling across Europe with Tracy Duhon, a social media personality described in media reports as his girlfriend.

The finalization also comes against the backdrop of Paxton's recent political defeat.

After losing the Texas Senate race to Democrat James Talarico in November, the Republican now faces the conclusion of both his marriage and his bid for a seat in the US Senate.

Ken Paxton's life back in spotlight

Paxton's divorce has also revived scrutiny of the controversies that followed him into the Senate race.

Despite receiving President Donald Trump's endorsement and defeating incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in the party's primary runoff, the Texas attorney general failed to secure a Senate seat.

Democrat James Talarico defeated Paxton by a double-digit margin in a closely watched Texas contest.

During the campaign, Talarico repeatedly questioned Paxton's credibility as a representative of conservative voters, pointing to the allegations surrounding his marriage and his previous legal troubles.

His campaign also highlighted the contrast between Paxton's public association with traditional Christian values and the allegations made by his estranged wife.

Angela Paxton, meanwhile, found herself in an unusual position during the election campaign.

Despite filing for divorce from her husband, the state senator appeared in a campaign advertisement encouraging Texans to vote Republican.

She acknowledged that voters might have questions about an obvious issue but stopped short of discussing her husband's personal life.

Instead, Angela urged voters to look beyond individual candidates and support the Republican ticket across the state, keeping her focus on the party's electoral prospects rather than the controversy surrounding her marriage.