As he stood earlier than supporters following his lopsided win this week over incumbent John Cornyn within the Republican runoff to signify Texas within the U.S. Senate, Ken Paxton singled out President Donald Trump for serving to him seal the victory.
Referring to Trump’s 11th-hour endorsement that propelled him over the end line, the thrice-elected Texas Legal professional Common informed the gang that “everybody in Washington informed him to desert me.”
In a political profession spanning greater than twenty years, Paxton has had nearly as many scandals as election victories, together with being the primary statewide elected official within the Lone Star State since 1917 to be impeached.
Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, speaks throughout a major runoff election evening occasion after successful the Republican occasion’s nomination, Might 26, 2026, in Plano, Texas.
Tony Gutierrez/AP Photograph
In his endorsement, Trump, who was impeached twice in his first time period within the White Home, referred to as Paxton “loyal” and a “true MAGA warrior.”
Paxton’s win units up a midterm face-off in November with Democratic nominee James Talarico, a member of the Texas Home of Representatives since 2018.
President Donald Trump walks with Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton, left, at Austin-Bergstrom Worldwide Airport in Austin, Nov. 20, 2019.
Evan Vucci/AP Photograph
Here’s a timeline of the ups and downs of the 63-year-old Paxton’s controversial profession previous to his election victory on Tuesday:
November 2002 — The son of an Air Power veteran and a company lawyer who began his personal regulation agency, Paxton enters the political enviornment, successful a seat within the Texas Home of Representatives. He was reelected to the Home in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Rep. Ken Paxton questions a witness throughout a gathering of the Home Methods and Means Committee, Feb. 10, 2005, in Austin, Texas.
Harry Cabluck/AP Photograph
November 2012 — Paxton wins a seat within the Texas State Senate, representing Collin and Dallas counties.
November 2014 — Paxton is elected the 51st Legal professional Common of Texas. In his first main initiative as legal professional common, he establishes a particular unit devoted to combating human trafficking within the state.
August 2015 — A Texas grand jury fingers up a three-count felony indictment in opposition to Paxton, charging him with two counts of first-degree securities fraud and one rely of failing to register with the state securities board. The costs pre-date Paxton’s tenure as state Legal professional Common. Probably the most critical cost alleges that he inspired folks to spend money on Servergy, a Texas expertise firm, with out revealing he was incomes a fee for his or her investments. Paxton is arrested after turning himself in and pleads not responsible to the costs.
Ken Paxton joins fingers with relations throughout a prayer after he was sworn in because the Texas Legal professional Common, Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, in Austin, Texas.
Eric Homosexual/AP Photograph
April 2016 — The Securities and Change Fee announces federal fraud charges in opposition to Paxton, stemming from the Servergy investigation. Paxton pleads not responsible to the costs. A federal choose in 2017 dismisses the federal case in opposition to Paxton.
November 2018 — Paxton narrowly wins re-election as state Legal professional Common.
October 2020 — Seven prime workers members of the state Legal professional Common’s Workplace ship a letter to the company’s human sources director, accusing Paxton of accepting bribes and abusing the ability of his workplace. Paxton denies the allegations and releases an announcement accusing the staff of constructing false statements.
December 2020 — In an try to overturn the 2020 presidential election, Paxton recordsdata a lawsuit in opposition to battleground states Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The go well with claims that pandemic-era adjustments to election procedures in these states violated federal regulation and asks the U.S. Supreme Court docket to dam the states from voting within the Electoral School. The Supreme Court docket rejects the case.
Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton speaks to reporters exterior the Supreme Court docket in Washington, March 2, 2016, after the courtroom heard arguments over Texas abortion clinic rules in its greatest abortion case in practically a quarter-century.
Susan Walsh/AP
July 2022 — Paxton recordsdata the primary authorized problem to then-President Joe Biden’s government order geared toward defending entry to abortion nationwide after the Supreme Court docket overturned Roe v. Wade. Paxton accuses the administration of turning emergency well being care suppliers into “walk-in abortion clinics.”
November 2022 — Paxton wins his third time period as Texas Legal professional Common.
Might 2023 — The Republican-led Texas Home of Representatives votes 121-23 to impeach Paxton, accusing him of misusing his energy to assist mates and donors. He’s instantly suspended from workplace. Paxton, the primary Texas statewide elected official impeached in additional than a century, denies wrongdoing and releases a defiant assertion calling the vote to question him “unjust” and a partisan “sham.”
Texas state Legal professional Common Ken Paxton, heart, sits along with his attorneys Dan Cogdell and Tony Buzbee, entrance, in the course of the his impeachment trial within the Senate Chamber on the Texas Capitol, Sept. 5, 2023, in Austin, Texas.
Eric Homosexual/AP Photograph
September 2023 — Texas state Senate votes to acquit Paxton on all 16 articles of impeachment. Paxton resumes his job as state Legal professional Common.
March 2024 — Simply weeks earlier than he’s scheduled to go to trial on securities fraud fees stemming from the state indictment filed in opposition to him in 2015, Paxton reaches a pretrial agreement with prosecutors to resolve the case. Paxton agrees to finish a sequence of actions, together with doing neighborhood service, taking authorized ethics programs, and paying practically $300,000 in restitution. Not required to confess guilt, Paxton releases an announcement, saying, “There’ll by no means be a conviction on this case nor am I responsible.”
April 4, 2025 — A choose guidelines that Paxton violated the Texas Whistleblower Act when he fired 4 Legal professional Common workplace staff who despatched a letter to the company’s human sources director. Paxton’s workplace is ordered to pay the previous staff $6.6 million.
April 8, 2025 — Paxton broadcasts he’s operating for U.S. Senate, difficult Republican incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who has held the seat for 22 years.
July 2025 — Paxton’s spouse of greater than three a long time, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, broadcasts she is filing for divorce “on biblical grounds,” accusing her husband of committing adultery.
“After going through the pressures of numerous political assaults and public scrutiny, Angela and I’ve determined to start out a brand new chapter in our lives,” Paxton writes in an announcement in response to the submitting. “I couldn’t be any extra proud or grateful for the unbelievable household that God has blessed us with, and I stay dedicated to supporting our wonderful youngsters and grandchildren.”
