‘Not gonna talk about personal issues’: Town hall caller asked Paxton why he cheated on his wife, but he declined to answer and pivoted to his family

According to Mediaite, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was asked directly about his past infidelity during a town hall on Monday. A caller asked him, “Why did you cheat on your wife?”

Paxton is running as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate against Texas state Rep. James Talarico, a Democrat. His campaign has already dealt with several controversies, even after he received an endorsement from President Donald Trump over longtime Sen. John Cornyn.

Paxton has faced questions over claims of voter fraud and a plea deal his office made with Adam Hoffman, who was convicted of child sex crimes. His marriage has also become a political issue after his wife filed for divorce last year.

Paxton avoids the question and talks about his family instead

Footage shared by an Instagram user shows the moment during the Monday town hall. A caller said, “Nice to meet you,” before asking, “I’m just wondering – why did you cheat on your wife?”

Paxton responded, “Um, I’m not gonna talk about personal issues that relate to my family, just like I don’t think you would wanna discuss your marriage on a call with thousands of people. All I can tell you is that I’m proud of my kids. I’ve got four wonderful kids.”

“I’ve got seven grandchildren – well, six and one on the way. There’s a lot at stake, and so while I care about this country, I’m not gonna talk about things that would affect them, so thank you very much for your question,” he added.

Paxton’s wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce in July 2025. She announced the filing on social media at the time.

“Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds,” she wrote in her post on X. “I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation. But 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.”

Angela Paxton did not give details about what she called her “recent discoveries” in the post. Her filing came after Ken Paxton’s infidelity had already been reported publicly for several years.

In 2018, according to the Texas Tribune, Ken Paxton told his staff that he had been having an affair. His wife was present at the time, and he said he planned to recommit to his marriage.

Later, allegations connected to Paxton’s dealings with Nate Paul brought more attention to his relationship with a former Senate aide. House impeachment managers alleged that Paxton had asked Paul to hire the woman so she could move to Austin, and that Paul and Paxton had shared a secret Uber account that Paxton used to meet with her.

Angela Paxton attended her husband’s Senate impeachment trial, where the affair allegations were a central part of the proceedings. She was recused from voting but was present to listen, and she posted Bible verses on social media during the trial. 

Paxton was acquitted, and his lawyers disputed many of the allegations against him afterward, though they did not dispute the infidelity, according to the Washington Post.

The divorce proceedings had been set to go to trial, which could have brought more details into public view. Those proceedings were later removed from the trial docket as the couple worked toward a settlement. The divorce filing has also drawn attention to questions about his voting address, which surfaced separately from the marriage records.

Paxton has also faced scrutiny over photos showing him traveling in Europe with Christian influencer Tracy Duhon. Reports have suggested the two have been in a relationship since 2024. At a separate event, Paxton was also seen avoiding questions on similar controversies before leaving without answering.

x.com/TeamCornyn/status/2019061141167542532

The divorce has become a talking point among Paxton’s Republican rivals in the Senate race. After Paxton posted on X on Feb. 4 claiming Cornyn would lose the race by a wide margin, Cornyn’s campaign team responded on the same platform.

“Ken, when this over, you will have nothing. Which turns out to be the same thing you offered to give Angela in divorce proceedings. This after you cheated on her multiple times,” the Team Cornyn account wrote.