Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton appeared in a new ad telling voters she's backing the Republican ticket on Nov. 3 — but she wouldn't say her estranged husband Ken Paxton's name. The ad was paid for by Texas PAC, a super PAC tied to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, as the Republican establishment burns millions trying to hold a Senate seat that should be safe.
Angela Paxton, who filed for divorce from the Texas attorney general last year citing adultery, according to Breitbart, acknowledged what she called "the elephant in the room" — but kept it at arm's length. "In a general election, it's not as much about the individual players on the team; it's about getting the whole team across the finish line," she said in the ad. "Either we hold every Republican seat, or we hand the future of Texas to the other team." NBC News noted her office would not confirm whether she plans to vote for Ken Paxton himself.
The family split is real. Angela Paxton cited "adultery" as a fault ground in her filing, adding on social media that remaining in the marriage would not honor God or be loving to herself or her children, Breitbart reported. Infidelity allegations also surfaced during Paxton's 2023 impeachment trial in the Republican-controlled Texas House; the state Senate acquitted him.
Meanwhile, Paxton's daughter Mattie Hayworth appeared in a separate ad defending her father, hitting "liberal politicians" and pointing to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez alongside Democrat nominee James Talarico. "When they come after you, my dad goes after them to bring down prices and stand up for families," Hayworth said.
The money flowing into this race is staggering. Republicans have spent an average of $7.7 million per day, and one GOP super PAC dropped $131 million over just 17 days, according to FEC filings reviewed by Newsweek and cited by Breitbart. NBC confirmed the race is among the most expensive this cycle.
The spending reflects genuine alarm. An NBC5 Dallas/Telemundo poll in late September put Talarico at 46% and Paxton at 43%, within the 4-point margin of error, with 8% undecided. No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in Texas since 1988.
President Trump has stumped hard for Paxton, endorsing him over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the primary and dispatching MAGA Inc. millions. At an Alabama rally, Trump was blunt: "We have to win that race. Ken Paxton has to win."
NBC framed Angela Paxton's ad as a reluctant, name-avoiding gesture; Breitbart headlined it as her voting for her estranged husband. What's not in dispute is who cut the check: Senate GOP leadership, desperate to hold the line in a race that shouldn't require $131 million in 17 days to win.
