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Texas Dem Chair Invites Bush Republicans To Join Democratic Party After Paxton Win
Ken Paxton
Ken Paxton Jr., Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr., W. Kenneth Paxton Jr., Warren Kenneth Paxton, Jr., Ken Paxton, Jr.
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Who is this?
Warren Kenneth Paxton Jr. (born December 23, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer who has served as the attorney general of Texas since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Texas Senate representing the eighth district and as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. Paxton was first elected attorney general in 2014, rising to power as an ally of the Tea Party movement, and was re-elected in 2018 and 2022. Paxton has been described as a staunch ally of President Donald Trump, and as an ultraconservative or far-right politician. After Joe Biden won the 2020 U.S. presidential election and Trump refused to concede while making unfounded claims of election fraud, Paxton aided Trump in his efforts to overturn the result. He filed the unsuccessful Texas v. Pennsylvania case in the U.S. Supreme Court and spoke at the rally Trump held on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Throughout the course of Biden's presidency, Paxton pursued legal action against the administration 106 times. In 2015, Paxton was indicted on state securities fraud charges relating to activities before taking office; he pleaded not guilty. Upon fulfilling a pretrial agreement for restitution to the victims, ethics training, and community service the charges were dismissed in 2025. In October 2020, several high-level assistants in Paxton's office accused him of "bribery, abuse of office and other crimes". In May 2023, Paxton was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives by a vote of 121–23, leading to his suspension. The articles of impeachment included allegations that Paxton gave preferential treatment to a political donor who bribed him, misapplied public resources and made false statements against whistleblowers, obstructed justice in the securities fraud trial against him, and made false statements regarding his financial interests. In September 2023, the Texas Senate voted 16–14 to acquit Paxton of all articles of impeachment, ending his suspension from office. In 2023, federal prosecuters initiated a separate investigation into the same legal issues, but in 2025, shortly after the Trump Administration took office, the Department of Justice declined to prosecute Paxton. Paxton announced in April 2025 that he would run for the United States Senate in the 2026 election, challenging incumbent senator John Cornyn in the Republican primary.
Career
- 1962Born
- Member of Omicron Delta Kappa
Trivia
- •Place of birth: Minot
- •Citizenship: United States
- •Known as: lawyer, politician, business consultant
- •Spouse: Angela Paxton
What happened recently
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Election triumphs, a series of scandals dot Ken Paxton's political timeline - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos
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Talarico targets Paxton's scandals in Texas Senate race, pivoting from his sunny primary message
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Trump talks Iran and touts Republican primary wins at 11th public Cabinet meeting
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Ken Paxton's win over John Cornyn in Texas primary may also help Democrats in Senate battle
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Paxton dominates Cornyn in Texas US Senate runoff, the latest sign of Trump’s hold on GOP
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Texas primary runoff election: Ken Paxton will defeat Sen. John Cornyn in Senate contest, CNN projects
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Texas Republicans nominate Ken Paxton for Senate seat, ousting incumbent John Cornyn
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Ken Paxton cruises to big win against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in Texas GOP primary runoff
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Paxton makes his final pitch in Texas US Senate race against Cornyn, buoyed by Trump’s endorsement
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Paxton sues Texas rooftop solar company over ‘deceptive acts’ - E&E News by POLITICO
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Cornyn, Paxton make dueling campaign stops in Houston area during GOP primary runoff for Senate
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Cornyn Says It's "Significant" That Trump Hasn't Called for Him to End Reelection Bid After Paxton Endorsement - C
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Sen. Graham admits Trump's endorsement of Paxton makes Texas Senate race more expensive
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton targets San Antonio solar company over ‘deceptive' practices
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WhatsApp, Meta can access Texans’ private messages, AG Ken Paxton says in lawsuit
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Texas Senate: Cornyn vs Paxton showdown; Can Dems win in Florida? Join the live discussion
