Angela Paxton
| Angela Paxton | |
|---|---|
| File:Angela Paxton.jpg | |
| Majority Leader of the Texas Senate | |
| In office January 25, 2023 – July 17, 2023 |
|
| Preceded by | Larry Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Tan Parker (acting) |
| Member of the Texas Senate from the 8th district |
|
| Assumed office January 8, 2019 |
|
| Preceded by | Van Taylor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Angela Suzanne Allen February 14, 1963 New Braunfels, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Ken Paxton |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Baylor University (BS) University of Houston, Clear Lake (MEd) |
Angela Paxton (born Angela Suzanne Allen on February 14, 1963)[1] is an American politician from the state of Texas. A member of the Republican Party, she has represented District 8 in the Texas Senate since 2019.
Her political career has been closely tied to her husband, currently suspended Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton.[1]
Contents
Early life and career
Paxton was born on February 14, 1963, in New Braunfels, Texas. Her mother was a college student who put Angela for adoption. She was taken in by a couple who could not have children, which she later credited to her commitment to the anti-abortion movement.[1]
She attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and was the first in her family to attend college. At Baylor, Angela where she met her future husband Ken Paxton, who was serving as the student body president. She then earned her master's degree in education from the University of Houston.[1] After earning her master's degree, Paxton taught math in public schools in Collin County. She then worked as a guidance counselor at Legacy Christian Academy.[1]
Political career
When Van Taylor vacated his seat in the Texas Senate to run for Congress, Paxton joined the race for District 8 in September 2017. Paxton ran against businessman Phillip Huffines in the Republican primary. At over $10 million spent between the two campaigns, the race was the most expensive Senate primary in Texas history. Her husband's campaign guaranteed her a $2 million loan. Paxton won the primary by 9 points and narrowly defeated Democratic challenger Mark Phariss in the general election.[1]
In February 2019, Paxton introduced Senate Bill 860, which would allow her husband Ken Paxton, the Texas Attorney General, the power to issue exemptions from securities regulations. Billed as a consumer protection effort, the proposal would allow approved individuals to serve as investment advisers without registering with the state board.[2] Paxton said the bill to change state securities law "has literally nothing to do" with a criminal case charging her husband Ken Paxton with defrauding investors.[3]
Her husband was impeached by the Texas House of Representatives as the Attorney General of Texas on May 27, 2023. The impeachment trial will occur in the 31-member Texas Senate, but Angela Paxton has not indicated whether she will recuse herself from the trial.[1][4]
Personal life
Angela and Ken Paxton helped to found Stonebriar Community Church, a Christian evangelical megachurch, in Frisco, Texas, in the 1990s. The couple later joined megachurch Prestonwood Baptist Church.[1]
Election history
| Texas Senate, District 8, Republican primary, 2018 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Angela Paxton | 32,756 | 54.3 | |
| Republican | Phillip Huffines | 27,545 | 45.7 | |
| Total votes | 60,301 | 100.0 | ||
| Texas Senate, District 8, general election, 2018 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Angela Paxton | 169,995 | 51.18 | |
| Democratic | Mark Phariss | 162,157 | 48.82 | |
| Total votes | 332,152 | 100.0 | ||
| style="background-color: Template:Republican Party of Texas/meta/color" | | [[Republican Party of Texas|Template:Republican Party of Texas/meta/shortname]] hold | |||
References
External links
| Texas Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Majority Leader of the Texas Senate 2023 |
Succeeded by Tan Parker Acting |
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Members of the Texas Senate
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88th Texas Legislature (2023)
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- 1960s births
- 21st-century American politicians
- 21st-century American women politicians
- Living people
- Place of birth missing (living people)
- Republican Party Texas state senators
- Women state legislators in Texas
- Year of birth missing (living people)
