Who Is Ken Paxton?

Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr., known as Ken Paxton, was born on December 23, 1962, in Minot, North Dakota, where his father was stationed at Minot Air Force Base. His family relocated to Texas during his childhood, and he grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Paxton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Baylor University in 1985, followed by an M.B.A. from Baylor in 1986, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1991. Before entering politics, Paxton worked as a lawyer in private practice, focusing on business litigation.

Paxton's political career began in 2002 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing a district in Collin County. He served three terms in the House before winning election to the Texas Senate in 2012. During his tenure in the legislature, Paxton established himself as a staunch conservative, focusing on issues such as gun rights, abortion restrictions, religious liberty, and opposition to federal overreach. In 2014, he ran for Texas Attorney General as a Tea Party-aligned candidate and won the Republican primary runoff against incumbent Dan Branch. He defeated Democrat Sam Houston in the general election and took office in January 2015.

Paxton's time as Attorney General has been marked by aggressive legal activism on conservative causes and an extraordinary accumulation of legal troubles. Within months of taking office, he was indicted in July 2015 on two first-degree felony charges of securities fraud and one third-degree felony charge of failing to register as an investment adviser. Prosecutors alleged that while serving in the legislature, Paxton solicited investments in a technology company called Servergy without disclosing that he was receiving compensation from the company. The indictment accused him of defrauding investors, including friends and political donors. Despite the charges, Paxton has remained in office. The case has been delayed repeatedly due to disputes over legal fees for special prosecutors, venue changes, and procedural motions. In 2024, Paxton reached a pretrial diversion deal: he agreed to pay approximately $271,000 in restitution to victims, complete 100 hours of community service, and take 15 hours of legal ethics courses. He made no admission of guilt. After completing the requirements, the charges were formally dismissed on June 18, 2025, meaning the state's top law enforcement officer was under felony indictment for nearly his entire tenure as Attorney General.

In September 2020, eight senior officials in the Attorney General's office — including the first assistant attorney general, multiple deputy attorneys general, and the director of law enforcement — reported Paxton to the FBI. The whistleblowers alleged that Paxton had abused his office to benefit Austin real estate investor Nate Paul, who was under FBI investigation. According to the whistleblowers, Paxton intervened in legal matters involving Paul, hired an outside lawyer named Brandon Cammack to investigate the FBI's raid of Paul's properties, and used state resources to assist Paul in ways that violated ethical and legal norms. The whistleblowers also alleged that Paxton had an extramarital affair with a woman employed by Paul. Shortly after making their report, the officials were fired, placed on leave, or forced out. Four of them — Blake Brickman, Mark Penley, David Maxwell, and Ryan Vassar — filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit against Paxton and the state.

The whistleblower allegations led to an FBI investigation into Paxton's conduct, which remained active for several years. In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives conducted its own investigation, resulting in Paxton's impeachment in May of that year. The House voted 121-23 to impeach Paxton on 20 articles, including bribery, abuse of public trust, obstruction of justice, and violations of the state's securities laws. The impeachment was led by Republicans, including House Speaker Dade Phelan and the investigative committee chair Andrew Murr. Paxton was immediately suspended from office pending trial in the Texas Senate.

The Senate trial took place in September 2023. Paxton's defense team argued that the charges were politically motivated and that much of the alleged conduct occurred before he took office as Attorney General, making impeachment inappropriate. State Senator Angela Paxton, Ken Paxton's wife, did not vote in the trial but was present for proceedings. The Senate voted to acquit Paxton on all 16 articles that went to a vote, with four articles dismissed earlier. He was reinstated as Attorney General immediately following the acquittal. In April 2025, a Travis County judge awarded $6.6 million to the four whistleblower plaintiffs after finding that Paxton's office had violated the Texas Whistleblower Act. Paxton initially appealed but dropped the appeal in July 2025. The judgment is paid entirely by Texas taxpayers. Paxton continued to deny wrongdoing.

Paxton's extramarital affair became a central issue during the impeachment trial. Witnesses testified that Paxton had a relationship with Laura Olson, a woman who worked for Nate Paul. The affair allegedly began around 2018 and was known to Paxton's senior staff, contributing to tensions within the office. Paxton's wife Angela, a Texas state senator, stood by him during the impeachment trial. However, on July 10, 2025, she filed for divorce on grounds of adultery, stating "I believe marriage is a sacred covenant" but that "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 divorce proceedings have included sealed court filings and disputes over property and finances.

Beyond the criminal indictments, impeachment, and whistleblower scandal, Paxton has faced criticism for his handling of various legal and political matters. He led efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results, filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn results in four swing states. The suit was dismissed for lack of standing. Paxton attended the rally in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021, and spoke to the crowd before the Capitol riot, though he did not enter the Capitol building. He has also faced backlash for evading service of a subpoena in 2022, when video footage showed him running from a process server outside his home. Paxton later mocked the incident, saying the server's identification was unclear.

Paxton has used the Attorney General's office to pursue investigations and lawsuits aligned with conservative political priorities, including challenges to federal immigration policy, environmental regulations, and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Critics have accused him of weaponizing the office for partisan purposes, while supporters argue he is defending Texas sovereignty and conservative values. His office has also been involved in controversial decisions, such as declining to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in court and investigating parents of transgender children receiving gender-affirming care.

In 2025, Paxton announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate, challenging incumbent Republican Senator John Cornyn in the 2026 GOP primary. Representative Wesley Hunt is also a major candidate in the race. Despite the felony charges, impeachment, and ongoing controversies, Paxton has maintained strong support among many Texas Republican voters, particularly those aligned with former President Donald Trump. Early polls have shown Paxton and Cornyn in a competitive race, with Hunt's entry all but assuring a primary runoff. His campaign emphasizes his conservative record, legal battles against the Biden administration, and defense of gun rights, election integrity, and religious liberty. Opponents have highlighted his legal troubles and ethical controversies as disqualifying.

The federal investigation by the Department of Justice into Paxton's conduct related to Nate Paul was closed in early 2025 without charges; the DOJ declined to prosecute in the final weeks of the Biden administration. Paxton continues to serve as Texas Attorney General while campaigning for the Senate. He has framed his legal battles as persecution by political enemies and the establishment, a narrative that has resonated with a segment of the Republican base. His record as Attorney General, combined with the scandals and legal entanglements, has made him one of the most polarizing figures in Texas politics.