WASHINGTON – The news of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s divorce from his wife of 38 years may be a gift to at least one Texan: his Republican primary opponent, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
Paxton and Cornyn have been barreling toward a bruising 2026 primary battle to represent Republicans in the Texas Senate race next fall.
Polls have repeatedly indicated Cornyn, who has served in the Senate since 2002, was headed toward a drumming in a primary election against Paxton.
That has been causing major anxiety for national Republicans, who fear that Paxton – dogged by indictments and an impeachment – would struggle in a general election and create an opening for Texas Democrats who have long sought to flip a statewide seat.
On July 10, Paxton’s wife and longtime political ally, state Sen. Angela Paxton, announced she would be divorcing him for adultery “in light of recent discoveries.” Ken Paxton wrote that the couple would “start a new chapter” after “facing the pressures of countless political attacks.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee and other national Republican leaders have endorsed Cornyn in the race and have been urging President Donald Trump to do so as well.
“What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting,” NRSC spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez posted on X. “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.”
Cornyn’s team also immediately began boosting the news on social media, reposting another NRSC staffer circulating a photo of Cornyn and his wife, and a state House member calling Paxton “morally unfit to hold office.”
Who is Ken Paxton?
Paxton has served as Texas Attorney General since 2015, winning three elections to the statewide office after more than a decade in the state legislature.
He is a staunch ally of Trump’s and emerged as a leading conservative opponent of former President Joe Biden, suing the Democratic administration more than 100 times.
Paxton is also no stranger to controversy.
The three-term Texas Attorney General was reelected despite being under felony indictment for securities fraud. The charges were dropped after Paxton agreed to pay restitution to his accusers. Eight of his top aides separately told the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he was using the power of his office to benefit a donor.
He was also impeached in 2023 by the GOP-led state House for alleged bribery and abuse of office. He was acquitted in the state Senate. And in early 2025, a judge ruled that Paxton had improperly fired four of those aides who had reported him to the FBI.
The 2026 battle for the Senate
Republicans currently control the U.S. Senate 53-47, a narrow majority that has nonetheless helped shepherd GOP priorities through Congress along party lines.
The party is well-positioned to retain control of the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections, when 35 of 100 seats will be up for reelection. Three open races in seats currently held by retiring Democrats – in Michigan, New Hampshire and Minnesota – create an opening for Republicans in otherwise liberal-leaning areas, while a toss-up race in Georgia will pull nationwide resources and media attention.
The vast majority of Senate Republicans up for reelection in 2026 are in safely GOP states. But that could change for Texas depending on who comes out of the GOP primary on top.
Paxton’s legal troubles, which he has repeatedly framed as political persecution, have helped him garner a passionate fan base among Texas’ Republican base.
Cornyn has conservative policy bonafides, but he is perceived as an establishment Republican – a dynamic that is reflected in primary polling between the two.
Whoever comes out on top is likely to face former Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate against Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Ken Paxton’s divorce could be a problem in Texas Senate race
