Texas judge orders Attorney General Ken Paxton's divorce records unsealed amid heated Senate primary

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McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Court documents detailing the divorce of Republican U.S. Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, were released Friday by order of a judge, months after she filed citing “biblical grounds.”

The initial filing showed that Angela Paxton sought the divorce on the grounds that Ken Paxton had committed adultery, but included no additional details. She had previously referenced “recent discoveries” when announcing the filing on social media in July. In a separate filing, Ken Paxton denied the allegations in the divorce petition. Future filings will also be released to the public after the Paxtons and a coalition of media outlets came to an agreement.

“It’s a victory, I think, for the American public and for the Texas voters,” Tyler Bexley, an attorney for the media intervenors, told reporters after the judge ordered the documents unsealed.

The divorce and the surrounding speculation have only fueled attacks against Paxton in one of the nation’s most heated Republican primaries as he seeks to unseat Sen. John Cornyn. Whether the divorce details resonate with voters remains to be seen, with the Senate primary set for March 3. Despite years of controversy, the three-term attorney general has remained competitive in the race, which includes Rep. Wesley Hunt.

The divorce comes after 38 years of marriage, during which Angela Paxton had supported her husband through a series of legal troubles, including state and federal corruption investigations. A state securities fraud indictment against Ken Paxton was dismissed after a 2024 plea deal in which he agreed to pay restitution and complete community service, and the Justice Department dropped a federal corruption probe earlier this year.

Angela Paxton also stood by Ken Paxton's side during that impeachment trial, which publicly exposed an extramarital affair. The 2023 impeachment trial ended in an acquittal for him.

Paxton’s support in Texas has remained strong amid a decade of legal troubles. He won reelection in 2022 by nearly 10 percentage points.

Paxton launched his bid to unseat Cornyn in April and has since drawn attacks from Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, with some in the party concerned that while Paxton could prevail in the GOP primary, he may complicate the general election and force national Republicans to spend heavily to hold the seat. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico are facing off in their party’s primary.

Groups supporting Cornyn have spent more than $21 million on television ads this year, according to AdImpact, to promote the four-term senator and attack Paxton.

“What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez said in July. “No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has, and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time.”

Paxton has been a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, while Cornyn has at times drawn criticism within his own party for working with Democrats. Trump’s endorsement is expected to be a decisive factor in Texas, which he won in 2024 by nearly 14 percentage points. Trump has not yet endorsed in the race.

Judge Robert Brotherton approved the agreement on Friday to release the records, which had been sealed following a request by Angela Paxton shortly after she filed. Another judge signed the agreed order to seal the records. In a filing after media outlets and the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability intervened to have the documents unsealed, Ken Paxton said he was opposed to the documents being publicly released.

Bexley said Friday that the media outlets he represents believe that voters have the right to know information about the case as “they are making decisions in the upcoming elections.”

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Follow the AP's coverage of Ken Paxton at https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton.