Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has been surrounded by scandals for most of his 11 years in statewide office, is now running for the U.S. Senate. Despite his legal troubles, Paxton has won every election, including his recent primary runoff against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn.

Paxton’s Past Problems

Paxton’s legal issues began in 2015 when he was indicted for felony securities fraud. The case was eventually dropped in 2024 after Paxton agreed to perform 100 hours of community service. In 2020, eight of his top deputies accused him of directing his office to take unusual and potentially illegal actions to help a donor and friend.

Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 but was acquitted by the state Senate. His wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce last year on “biblical grounds” due to an alleged extramarital affair. The U.S. Department of Justice declined to prosecute Paxton over corruption allegations.

Senate Election

Paxton will face Democratic nominee James Talarico, who has been focusing on Paxton’s past problems and drawing a contrast to himself. Talarico has raised over $40 million, while Paxton has raised about $8 million. The race is expected to be close, with some Republicans expressing concerns about Paxton’s baggage.

Paxton’s adviser, Nick Maddux, dismissed the premise that Paxton’s controversies would hurt his campaign, saying the focus should be on Talarico’s comments on transgender kids, immigration, and the oil and gas industry. Talarico has said that Paxton is trying to distract from his own corruption by focusing on Talarico’s past comments.

Original reporting: Texas Tribune (HLL/CB) — read the source article.