Angela Paxton Urges Republican Women to Back GOP Candidates Amid Ken Paxton’s Controversial Senate Race

On September 18, Texas state senator Angela Paxton delivered a two-minute address titled “The Elephant in the Room” to the Texas Federation of Republican Women. She warned that “vulnerabilities” on the GOP ballot could alienate women voters and urged them to prioritize winning the Senate seat over individual candidates, even as her estranged husband, Senate nominee Ken Paxton, faces a tight race against Democrat James Talarico.

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Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, has been embroiled in multiple legal and ethical scandals, including an impeachment trial in 2023 that examined alleged abuse of office and a secret-Uber affair. He filed for divorce from Angela Paxton in July 2025, citing “biblical grounds” and accusing him of adultery. Their divorce trial, set for June, was later canceled as the couple reportedly neared a “final agreement.” Despite the personal turmoil, the Senate Leadership Fund—a top Republican super PAC—is spending well over $100 million on advertising for Paxton, and former President Donald Trump is planning several Texas visits to boost his campaign.

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GOP strategist Karl Rove, speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, listed Paxton’s scandals and expressed disbelief, asking, “Can you make this sh*t up? I mean, really?”

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• Senate Leadership Fund advertising spend: > $100 million.

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• Recent polls show Democrat James Talarico leading Ken Paxton.

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• Angela Paxton’s divorce filing (July 2025) reignited scrutiny of Ken Paxton’s personal conduct.

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• “The reality is, while we are the party of values, we have some vulnerabilities on our ballot, some real vulnerabilities,” — Angela Paxton

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• “Can you make this sh*t up? I mean, really?” — Karl Rove, longtime GOP strategist

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• “We cannot ignore the elephant in the room,” — Angela Paxton

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