By Kate NalepinskiShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberAngela Paxton is a Republican state senator from Texas who was first elected in 2018 and reelected to a second four-year term. The longtime teacher and school counselor filed for divorce from her husband, Attorney General Ken Paxton, in 2025.
The announcement came before the current high-stakes Republican primary season, in which Ken Paxton seeks a U.S. Senate seat against Senator John Cornyn.
Who Is Texas Senator Angela Paxton?
Angela Paxton, 63, is a Republican state senator born in New Braunfels, Texas, who was first elected to the Senate in 2018, representing the district previously held by her husband before his statewide election. She secured another four-year term in November 2024.
...According to the Texas Senate, Angela Paxton is an adopted child and the first person in her family to graduate from college. She earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematical Science from Baylor University and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
She’s the mother of four children, has six grandchildren, and is a member of nondenominational evangelical megachurch Watermark Community Church in Dallas, Texas.
When Did Angela Paxton File for Divorce?
In July 2025, Angela Paxton announced on X that she had filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.”
She 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.”
Angela alleged adultery in a court filing obtained by The Texas Tribune, which stated the couple had stopped living together “on or about June 1, 2024.”
Ken Paxton issued his own statement on X at the time, citing the “pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny” as the reason the couple had “decided to start a new chapter.”
“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,” he wrote. “I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time.”
What Are the Allegations Against Ken Paxton?
In May 2023, the Texas House voted to approve 20 articles of impeachment against Ken, making him the first Texas state attorney general to be impeached since 1975.
The accusations included abuse of office and bribery related to benefits provided to Austin real estate developer, Nate Paul.
The impeachment investigation also referenced an alleged extramarital affair with a former Senate aide around 2018. At the time, it was suggested that Paxton used an alias and had an affair with a woman who was later employed by Paul.
With Texans casting their votes in the primaries, the divorce and allegations have become a campaign talking point.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee's joint fundraising committee ran an attack ad calling Paxton "crooked" and accusing him of cheating on his wife.
Newsweek previously reported that Ken Paxton received a polling boost after his daughter, Mattie Hayworth, called attacks on her father “ugly" in a column for the Texas Scorecard.
“My dad is not perfect; none of us are,” she wrote. “But he is a man of deep faith, genuine love for his family, and an unrelenting commitment to doing right by the people of Texas."
When Do Polls Close in Texas Primaries?
The Democratic and Republican primaries are scheduled for March 3, with runoff elections set for May 26 if no candidate secures a majority. Early voting ran from February 17 to February 27.
Most polls in the state will close at 8 p.m. ET. But since western Texas sits in a different time zone, polls there will close at 9 p.m. ET.
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