GOP Senate candidate's estranged wife confirms who she's voting for amid divorce proceedings

Ken Paxton: James Talarico is running to 'destroy' the American dream

U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton discusses the stakes of his race against Democratic nominee James Talarico, outlining the key issues driving his campaign, his policy priorities for Texas, and the promises he says he will deliver if elected, during an appearance at the first-ever Republican midterm convention.

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Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton is addressing the "elephant in the room," saying she’ll vote Republican this November without mentioning one GOP candidate by name: her estranged husband, Ken Paxton.

Angela Paxton, who filed for divorce from the Texas Republican Senate candidate last year on "biblical grounds," says in a new political ad that she will back the Republican ticket on Nov. 3, arguing that keeping the seat in GOP hands outweighs concerns about any individual candidate.

"People have asked my thoughts about this election, and turns out, I have some," she says in the ad. "Let’s talk about the elephant in the room."

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Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton has confirmed who she is voting for in the November midterm elections. (Sam Hodde for The Washington Post via Getty Images, File)

"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," she continues. "Either we hold every Republican seat, or we hand the future of Texas to the other team."

"That’s why I’m voting for the Republican ticket on Nov. 3," she adds. "Let’s hold the line together."

The ad does not mention Ken Paxton by name, but its message comes as the Republican Senate candidate faces a tight general election contest against Democrat James Talarico.

The latest Fox News Poll, released Thursday, found Talarico with 51% support among Texas likely voters and Paxton with 49%, a difference within the poll’s margin of sampling error. The same poll found 50% of likely voters preferred Republican control of the U.S. Senate, compared with 49% who preferred Democratic control.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is shown during the Texas GOP convention in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston Friday, June 12, 2026. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

Angela Paxton has previously signaled that maintaining Republican control of the seat takes precedence over her feelings about the individual candidate.

During an address to the Texas Federation of Republican Women in September, she similarly framed the issue as the "elephant in the room" and told the audience that "it’s not the people, it’s the seat."

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"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 them," she said at the time, drawing laughter from the audience.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a campaign rally at the Cailloux Theater on Aug. 31, 2026, in Kerrville, Texas. Talarico is campaigning across the state in a close race against Republican candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

"If we lose it to the other team, the nuances that we want to fix with maybe a certain candidate are nothing compared to what it’s going to take to get it back," she added.

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Angela Paxton filed for divorce from her husband in July 2025 after 38 years of marriage. In the filing, she alleged that Ken Paxton had "committed adultery" and said their marriage had "become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities."

She separately announced the divorce on social media, saying she had filed "on biblical grounds."

"I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation," she wrote. "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."

The new ad was funded by Texas PAC, a political action committee affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Ken Paxton also has the support of President Donald Trump and financial backing from the president’s MAGA Inc. political action committee as well as Elon Musk’s America PAC.