A phone town hall on Monday took an awkward turn after a caller asked MAGA Senate candidate and current Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton why he cheated on his wife.
Texas Attorney General turned MAGA Senate candidate Ken Paxton’s appearance at a phone town hall took an awkward turn after a caller asked him why he cheated on his wife.
Paxton’s wife, Angela, filed for divorce in July 2025, citing “biblical grounds” after 38 years of marriage. Her divorce petition accused him of adultery.
Paxton, however, appeared to frame the breakup differently, pointing to the political pressures surrounding their lives together. He previously wrote that after “countless political attacks and public scrutiny,” the couple had decided to “start a new chapter.”
Paxton was taking calls when he was asked:
“I’m just wondering ― why did you cheat on your wife?”
A noticeably uncomfortable Paxton responded:
“Um, I’m not gonna talk about personal issues that relate to my family, just like I don’t think you would wanna discuss your marriage on a call with thousands of people.”
He continued:
“All I can tell you is that I’m proud of my kids. I’ve got four wonderful kids. I’ve got seven grandchildren — well, six and one on the way.”
“There’s a lot at stake, and so while I care about this country, I’m not gonna talk about things that would affect them, so thank you very much for your question.”
Paxton was indicted in 2015 on state securities fraud charges tied to conduct that predated his time in office, though he pleaded not guilty. The case was ultimately dismissed last year after he completed a pretrial agreement that required restitution payments to victims, ethics training, and community service.
In May 2023, the Texas House of Representatives voted 121–23 to impeach Paxton, temporarily suspending him from office. The impeachment articles accused him of improperly helping a political donor who allegedly bribed him, misusing state resources, retaliating against whistleblowers, interfering in his securities fraud case, and failing to accurately disclose financial interests.
However, in September 2023, the Texas Senate acquitted Paxton on all impeachment charges in a 16–14 vote, allowing him to return to office.
Last month, Paxton was called out after fleeing a press conference to avoid answering questions from reporters about two different scandals that had threatened his race against Democrat James Talarico.
A New York Times report revealed Paxton had amassed 15 properties valued at roughly $9 million across states including Utah, Hawaii, Florida and Oklahoma, despite earning a government salary while simultaneously campaigning for the Senate and navigating a divorce.
Separately, a ProPublica investigation found that Paxton, who has frequently echoed Trump’s claims about voter fraud, cast ballots in six elections over a two-year period using an address where he did not live.
Paxton has been harshly criticized in response.
