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Candidate

Ken Paxton

Republican

Texas Attorney General

Ken Paxton has been Texas Attorney General since 2015, after serving in the Texas House from 2003 to 2013 and the Texas Senate from 2013 to 2015324. He won the 2026 Republican Senate nomination by defeating incumbent John Cornyn in a May 26 runoff2. He was impeached by the Texas House in May 2023 and acquitted by the Texas Senate in September 20232324.

Where they stand 16 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

  • RedistrictingState legislatures draw maps and may redraw any time, including for partisan advantagehigh
    Official action · high confidence
    • Asked the U.S. Supreme Court to let Texas use its 2025 mid-decade congressional map. (2025-11-21) source
    • Said Texas engaged in partisan redistricting solely to secure more Republican seats in Congress. (2025-11-21) source
    • Won a Supreme Court ruling allowing the 2025 map to be used for the 2026 elections. (2026-04-27) source
  • Birthright citizenshipNo, end it for children of parents here illegally or temporarilymedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Sued a Houston-area birth tourism business that helped Chinese nationals give birth in Texas. (2026-04-29) source
    • Said in announcing the suit that birthright citizenship is a scam that threatens national security. (2026-04-29) source
  • Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Sued the NCAA under Texas consumer law, asking a court to bar biological males from women's events involving Texas teams. (2024-12-22) source
    • Campaign platform pledges to defeat the effort to put men in girls' sports. (2026) source
  • Religion in schoolsSupport laws requiring the Ten Commandments in classrooms and optional prayer periodsmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Sued Round Rock and Leander school districts for refusing to display donated Ten Commandments posters as required by Texas SB 10. (2025-11-18) source
  • Kids onlineRequire app stores and platforms to verify age and get parental consentmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Defended Texas' age verification law for pornography sites and won at the U.S. Supreme Court. (2025-06-27) source
    • Defended Texas' app store law requiring age verification and parental approval for minors' app downloads in the Fifth Circuit. (2026-06-01) source
  • Energy and climateMaximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economymedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Sued the Biden administration to block an EPA rule limiting methane and other emissions from oil and gas operations. (2024-03-08) source
    • Campaign platform promises to remove harmful regulations designed to hurt energy companies. (2026) source
  • DEI programsBan DEI offices and required training at public institutionsmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Issued a legal opinion declaring DEI frameworks in more than 100 state laws unconstitutional, including DEI programs in schools and state and local government. (2026-01-19) source
  • AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
    Said · low confidence
    • Sued a New York doctor for mailing abortion drugs to a Texas resident in violation of Texas law. (2024-12-13) source
    • Campaign platform says he will stand with President Trump to defend the unborn. (2026) source
  • GunsKeep current laws and enforce what is already on the bookslow
    Official action · low confidence
    • Sued, with Gun Owners of America, to block an ATF rule treating pistols with stabilizing braces as short-barreled rifles. (2023-02-09) source
    • Led a multistate lawsuit against an ATF rule expanding who must be licensed to sell firearms privately. (2024-05-01) source
    • Campaign platform promises to protect gun rights and criticizes Republicans and Democrats who have attacked Second Amendment rights. (2026) source
  • ImmigrationDeport everyone here illegally, as quickly as possiblelow
    Said · low confidence
    • Campaign platform says he will champion securing the border and deporting illegal aliens, and help finish the border wall. (2026) source
    • Won a Fifth Circuit ruling, in a lawsuit Texas brought, affirming that the federal DACA policy is unlawful. (2025-01-17) source
  • Aid to UkraineStop sending aid and stay out of itlow
    Said · low confidence
    • Criticized Sen. John Cornyn for voting for the Senate's Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan aid package, posting that Cornyn would defend other countries' borders but not America's. (2024-02-13) source
    • Campaign platform criticizes sending billions to foreign countries and protecting the borders of other nations. (2026) source
  • Foreign policyPull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First)low
    Said · low confidence
    • Campaign platform backs an America First foreign policy of peace through strength and criticizes sending billions to foreign countries. (2026) source
  • MarijuanaNo single answer fitsmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Sued Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton over policies telling police not to enforce marijuana possession laws. (2024-01-31) source
  • Death penaltyNo single answer fitsmedium
    Official action · medium confidence
    • Disputed calls to spare Robert Roberson, whose execution had been delayed, and released the child's autopsy report, saying it showed the conviction was not based on shaken baby syndrome. (2024-10-23) source
  • Income taxesNo single answer fitsmedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Campaign platform says he will fight to cut taxes and champion President Trump's legislative priorities, including cutting taxes. (2026) source
  • National debtNo single answer fitsmedium
    Said · medium confidence
    • Campaign platform says he will stop the wasteful spending that led to more than $36 trillion in debt. (2026) source

No public position found on: Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Trade and tariffs, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Aid to Israel, China policy.

Record

  • Member of the Texas House from 2003 to 2013 and the Texas Senate from 2013 to 20153; Texas Attorney General since 201524.
  • Indicted in 2015 on state securities fraud charges; in March 2024 he agreed to a pretrial intervention requiring community service, legal ethics training and about $300,000 in restitution, with no admission of guilt, and the charges were dismissed on June 18, 202525.
  • Filed a lawsuit at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to invalidate the 2020 presidential results in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin; the Court rejected it24.
  • Impeached by the Texas House 121 to 23 on May 27, 202323; the Texas Senate acquitted him on all 16 articles tried on September 16, 202324.
  • In August 2025 asked the Texas Supreme Court to declare vacant the seats of 13 Democratic House members, including James Talarico, over the redistricting quorum break21; the court rejected the petition on May 15, 202622.
  • Defeated Sen. John Cornyn in the May 26, 2026 Republican primary runoff with 63.8% of the vote2.
  • Certified as the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot1.

Who funds this campaign

Official reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for January 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

$9,248,699raised
$7,492,915spent
$1,755,783cash on hand

Where the money came from

  • People who gaveincluding $1,764,118 in gifts under $200$9,020,178
  • PACs and other political committees$157,500
  • Political party committees$62,000
  • Transfers from joint fundraising and other campaign committees$6,633

Largest contributions from PACs and parties

As named in the filings, net of any refunds. Joint fundraising transfers are counted in the totals above.

  1. NRSCParty committee$62,000
  2. SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUNDPAC$10,000
  3. BEST AT BRINGING ENTREPRENEURIAL RESULTS NEVER IMAGINED OR EPAC$10,000
  4. USAP PACPAC$10,000
  5. WINE & SPIRITS WHOLESALERS OF AMERICA PACPAC$5,000
  6. VALERO POLTIICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPAC$5,000
  7. TOMORROW IS MEANINGFUL PACPAC$5,000
  8. TEXTRON POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEEPAC$5,000
  9. SENATE EAGLE PACPAC$5,000
  10. REPUBLICAN MAJORITY FUNDPAC$5,000

Gifts from individual people are listed by name in the full filings. See every report on FEC.gov. Numbers updated October 5, 2026; we add no labels or judgments to any donor.

Last reviewed 2026-10-19. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.

Sources (25)

Every claim on this page links to one of these
  1. 2026 November General Election Ballot Certification Report (Tarrant County section)Texas Secretary of State
  2. United States Senate election in Texas, 2026 (May 26 Republican primary runoff)Ballotpedia
  3. Member profile for Ken PaxtonLegislative Reference Library of Texas
  4. Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate: IssuesKen Paxton campaign
  5. Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Activist New York Doctor for Illegally Providing Abortion Drugs Across State LinesOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  6. Paxton Sues Biden Administration to Block Illegal Rule that Infringes on the Second Amendment Rights of AmericansOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  7. Attorney General Ken Paxton Leads Multistate Coalition Suing Biden Administration Over Unlawful Ban On Private Firearms SalesOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  8. Attorney General Ken Paxton Defeats Biden Administration's Unlawful DACA Policy at the Fifth CircuitOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  9. Attorney General Paxton Sues Houston-Area Birth Tourism Center for Exploiting Birthright CitizenshipOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  10. Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues NCAA To Protect Women's SportsOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  11. Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Round Rock ISD and Leander ISD for Refusing to Display the Ten Commandments in ClassroomsOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  12. Attorney General Ken Paxton Files Appeal in SCOTUS to Defend Texas's New Congressional MapOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  13. Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Victory in the U.S. Supreme Court to Successfully Defend Texas's Big Beautiful Map for 2026 ElectionsOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  14. Attorney General Ken Paxton Successfully Defends Texas Law Requiring Age Verification for Pornography Sites at SCOTUSOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  15. Attorney General Ken Paxton Secures Major Victory Protecting Children Online By Requiring Age Verification and Parental Approval for Minors' App DownloadsOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  16. Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Biden Administration to Stop New Radical Emissions RuleOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  17. Attorney General Paxton Issues Legal Opinion Dismantling DEI in TexasOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  18. Ken Paxton, John Cornyn trade barbs over Senate vote on foreign aidThe Dallas Morning News
  19. Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Five Cities Over Marijuana Policies Preventing Enforcement of Texas Drug LawsOffice of the Texas Attorney General
  20. Robert Roberson execution: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton releases collection of evidence in controversial death penalty caseABC13 Houston
  21. Paxton Files Texas Supreme Court Petition to Declare 13 Democratic House Seats VacantThe Texan
  22. Texas Supreme Court Rejects Abbott, Paxton Petition to Remove Democratic Quorum-Breakers from OfficeThe Texan
  23. Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general, impeached by state House of RepresentativesCBS News
  24. Texas Senate acquits state Attorney General Ken Paxton in impeachment trialKUT (Austin NPR)
  25. Ken Paxton's felony case dismissed after completing pretrial diversion programFOX 26 Houston