While State Senator Angela Paxton has so far only spoken vaguely about her filing to divorce Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, one prominent Republican group is more than willing to fuel to the fire.
In a tweet fired off shortly after Angele Paxton publicly announced her divorce on Thursday, National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez accused the GOP Attorney General — and aspiring U.S. senator — of putting his family through a “repulsive and disgusting” experience.
The statement signals the NRSC, which works to elect Republicans to U.S. Senate, has sided with Paxton’s opponent, incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, in what’s shaping up to be one of 2026’s most-watched primary battles.
“What Ken Paxton has put his family through is truly repulsive and disgusting,” Rodriguez tweeted. “No one should have to endure what Angela Paxton has, and we pray for her as she chooses to stand up for herself and her family during this difficult time.”
Rodriguez made the comment in response to Angela Paxton’s Thursday tweet announcing the divorce, which she said she filed for on “biblical grounds” based on “recent discoveries.” In her court filing, Angela Paxton alleged her husband committed adultery, listing that as grounds for breaking up the marriage, according to a Texas Tribune report.
Paxton, a die-hard MAGA adherent, had a widely publicized affair with former Texas Senate aide Laura Olson, which he admitted to in late 2018 but resumed in 2020, according to the Texas Tribune. It’s unclear whether the “recent discoveries” referenced by Angela Paxton have anything to do with the prior affair.
The affair is one of multiple scandals that surrounded Paxton’s time as the state’s top cop. He was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 for bribery and abuse of office, but the Republican-controlled Texas Senate ultimately voted to acquit. Paxton also faced felony state securities fraud charges, which were dropped last year after he reached a settlement deal with prosecutors.
Impeachment articles presented in the Texas Legislature accused Paxton of using burner phones, secret emails and a fake Uber profile under the alias “Dave P.” to visit and communicate with his mistress. Prosecutors in the case also maintain he used his friend Nate Paul to help hide the affair and employ his mistress so he could be closer to her.
Polls conducted before Thursday’s divorce filing favored Paxton’s odds in winning the Republican primary against Cornyn, largely viewed as a member of the party’s chamber-of-commerce old guard. However, this week’s development is likely to give Paxton’s rival plenty of ammunition, not to mention complicate the AG’s ability to self-finance his campaign.
When asked about his opponent’s divorce, Cornyn told reporters on Capitol Hill that he feels “badly” for Angela Paxton and called her marital issues with Ken Paxton a “private matter,” according to Politico.
“There’s plenty of other reasons that I could comment on in terms of character, but I’ll probably just leave that alone,” Cornyn reportedly added.
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This article appears in Jul 10-23, 2025.
