Angela Paxton Breaks Silence to Urge GOP Turnout in Texas Senate Race

Angela Paxton, the estranged wife of Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton, has publicly endorsed voting for the GOP ticket in the upcoming midterm elections, while carefully avoiding direct mention of her husband. The move signals growing concern within the Republican Party about Ken Paxton’s competitiveness in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico.

Paxton, a state senator from McKinney, released a new advertisement in which she addresses “the elephant in the room” regarding her marital separation from the attorney general. Rather than focusing on individual candidates, she framed the election as a team effort. “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,” Paxton stated in the ad. She urged voters to hold the line on November 3 to prevent Democrats from gaining control of key seats.

The advertisement, funded by Texas PAC, aligns with messages Paxton shared during a mid-September speech to Republican women. In that appearance, she acknowledged “vulnerabilities” on the GOP ballot but stressed the necessity of maintaining legislative control. “I think Republican women will decide this election,” she said. “It’s not the people—it’s the seat… 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.”

Paxton filed for divorce last year on “biblical grounds,” alleging adultery. Her legal proceedings remain active, and she previously declined to answer questions for the New York Times regarding her voting intentions. Political experts suggest her public appearance indicates anxiety over Ken Paxton’s polling numbers, where he currently trails Talarico by narrow margins.

Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, described the outreach to Angela Paxton as “pretty remarkable” and a clear indicator of the Republican Party’s worries. He noted that the ad appears designed to give Republican women, who may have apprehensions about supporting Ken Paxton, “permission” to vote the party line.

This sentiment is supported by recent polling data. A New York Times/Siena University poll conducted at the end of September found that 51% of likely male voters in Texas supported Paxton, compared to only 40% of likely female voters. Kirby Goidel, a political science professor at Texas A&M University, noted that Paxton carries significant political baggage from past scandals and fraud indictments, which were ultimately dropped or resulted in acquittal.

Goidel also pointed to broader national trends, citing President Donald Trump’s low approval ratings—particularly regarding the economy—as factors potentially impacting Republican performance. According to CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten, Paxton holds the lowest net popularity rating among Republicans competing for key Senate seats this cycle.

If Talarico were to win, it would mark the first time a Democratic candidate has secured a statewide office in Texas in over three decades. Despite Texas remaining heavily Republican overall, experts warn that the combination of local controversies and national headwinds has created a challenging environment for the GOP candidacy.