Ken Paxton's estranged wife Angela tells GOP women to vote Republican 'even if we're mad'
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Texas State Senator Angela Paxton urged a group of conservative women to vote Republican "even if we're mad at them" on Friday, September 18, the first time she appeared to address her estranged husband's Senate campaign since filing for divorce.
Angela filed for divorce from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in July 2025 "on biblical grounds," citing adultery, and has been relatively quiet about his campaign, which has caused a rift in Texas GOP circles.
Angela Paxton's message about the consequences of crossing party lines
Appearing at a Texas Federation of Republican Women meeting, Angela Paxton warned the group that, when voting, they should consider that “the party comes with the person.”
“Because we have more control over that seat and the future when we control the seat, when it’s still in the family, even if we’re mad at it,” she said. “But if we lose it to the other team, the nuances that we want to fix with maybe a certain candidate are nothing compared to what it’s going to take to get it back, right?”
Angela went on to argue that voting for a Democrat carries broader repercussions beyond any single race: “They’re [Democratic candidates] not like a stand-alone thing, like a menu item. We have more control when it’s our party. We have more ability than influence, and that person is attached to our party.”
A costly, closely watched contest
During the primaries in May, Angela urged Texas voters to turn out on the state’s primary election day in a social media post, but she notably did not mention her former husband’s race.
The Texas Senate race has become one of the most expensive in the country, and recent polls show Democratic nominee James Talarico ahead of Ken Paxton by a narrow 46% to 43%.
Various Republican organizations have jumped into the race, which presidential strategists say is crucial to holding the Senate for the GOP.
Paxton, who won the Republican primary against Senator John Cornyn, faces a tough road in his bid for the Senate after being impeached in 2023 by the Texas House of Representatives on charges of corruption.
The Texas Senate later voted 16-14 to acquit Paxton of all articles of impeachment. Some of his former allies have turned against him and joined the campaign of his Democratic opponent.
Among those who have distanced themselves from Paxton is Dan Cogdell, an attorney who was part of the legal team that successfully defended him during his impeachment trial. Endorsing Talarico, Cogdell said his former client "has lost sight of his core mission, which is to represent the people of Texas."
