Texas state Senator Angela Paxton appeared in a political advertisement released Saturday endorsing the Republican ticket for the upcoming election, though she conspicuously avoided mentioning her estranged husband, Attorney General Ken Paxton, by name.
The advertisement, which addresses what Senator Paxton herself called “the elephant in the room,” makes a strategic appeal to Republican voters focused on party loyalty rather than individual candidates. Senator Paxton filed for divorce from the attorney general last year, citing biblical grounds for the dissolution of their marriage.
“In a general election, it is not as much about the individual players on the team; it is about getting the whole team across the finish line,” Senator Paxton stated in the advertisement. “Either we hold every Republican seat, or we hand the future of Texas to the other team.”
Her office has not responded to inquiries regarding whether she intends to vote for her estranged husband in his bid for the United States Senate seat.
The advertisement comes at a critical juncture in what has become one of the most expensive and closely watched Senate races in the current election cycle. Recent polling data indicates that Democratic challenger James Talarico holds a slight advantage over Paxton, with a late September survey showing Talarico at 46 percent compared to Paxton’s 43 percent. The margin falls within the poll’s error range of four percentage points, with eight percent of voters remaining undecided. The race is currently classified as a toss-up.
These numbers represent a remarkable development in Texas politics. Republicans have not lost a statewide race in Texas since 1994, and Democrats have not secured a Senate seat since 1988. The competitiveness of this race defies the state’s deeply conservative electoral history.
Ken Paxton’s tenure as attorney general has been marked by considerable controversy. The Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives impeached him in 2023 on allegations of abuse of office and bribery. While the state Senate subsequently acquitted him, the trial brought forward allegations of infidelity alongside the corruption charges. Paxton has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
The family dynamics have added an unusual dimension to the campaign. Paxton’s daughter, Mattie Hayworth, recently appeared in a separate advertisement supporting her father. Standing alongside her husband and children, Hayworth criticized liberal politicians and accused them of attacking Texas families, while a graphic displayed Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez alongside Talarico.
President Donald Trump, who endorsed Paxton over incumbent Senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary, has made the race a priority. His super PAC has invested millions of dollars in support of Paxton’s candidacy. The president has visited Texas twice in recent weeks, including appearances at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas and a rally in Denton as part of his seventeen-state campaign effort.
The advertisement featuring Angela Paxton was funded by Texas PAC, a political action committee affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The decision to feature the estranged wife of the candidate represents an unconventional approach to party unity messaging, attempting to acknowledge personal difficulties while maintaining focus on broader political objectives.
As Election Day approaches, the Texas Senate race remains one of the most unpredictable contests on the ballot, with implications that extend well beyond state borders.
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