10
Loading video...
By Gabe Whisnant and Sonam Sheth
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's wife, Angela Paxton, announced on social media Thursday that she's divorcing her husband.
Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator, said in an X post that she's filing for divorce on "biblical grounds."
Newsweek reached out to Ken Paxton's office via email on Thursday afternoon for comment.
Read More on U.S.
The Context
Attorney General Paxton is currently looking to unseat U.S. Texas Senator John Cornyn and is running against the 23-year incumbent in next year's Republican primary. Paxton was elected Texas' attorney general in 2014 and took office in 2015. Senator Angela Paxton has represented Texas' District 8 since 2019, a seat that Ken Paxton held before he won the attorney general race.
The state senator's divorce announcement, meanwhile, came years after her husband was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives in part over an alleged extramarital affair he had with a Texas Senate staffer.
House impeachment managers accused Paxton of bribery because he "benefited from [Austin real estate developer] Nate Paul's employment of a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair."
Paxton was acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate after a widely watched impeachment trial.
...
What To Know
"Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds," Angela Paxton wrote. "I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation. 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 continued: "I move forward with complete confidence that God is always working everything together for the good of those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose."
Attorney General Paxton put out a statement saying he and his wife had "decided to start a new chapter" after facing the "pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny."
The state attorney general also faced a state securities fraud indictment that was recently dismissed after a 2024 plea deal to pay restitution and complete community service. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) also dropped a corruption investigation into Paxton earlier this year.
Angela Paxton attended her husband's impeachment trial as a state senator in 2023 and witnessed the dramatic moment in which a Senate aid Ken Paxton was alleged to have an affair with was called to publicly testify about their relationship.
The woman did not take the witness stand, but her relationship with the Texas attorney general was a central thread in the impeachment proceedings, in which Ken Paxton was accused of going to possibly criminal lengths to help Paul, who was under FBI investigation at the time.
Angela Paxton was not allowed to vote on the verdict because of her relationship with Ken Paxton.
What People Are Saying
Ken Paxton said in a statement posted to X: "After facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives. I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren."
The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
Update 7/10/25, 4:11 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines