Ken Paxton, the incumbent Attorney General of Texas, will be contesting the GOP’s primary runoff elections against George P. Bush this week. In addition to his current position, Paxton will seek to expand his political clout and take over the office of Texas’ land commissioner.

Paxton, 59, is a veteran politician and is affiliated with the Republican party. He has also secured the endorsement of former US President Donald Trump for the upcoming polls.

Also Read: US primaries: How the Bush dynasty is at stake in Texas’ GOP runoffs

Who is Ken Paxton?

Paxton is currently serving as the 51st Attorney General of the lone star state. He took office on November 4, 2014, and was sworn into office on January 5, 2015. He was re-elected to a second term in 2018.

According to Paxton’s website, he has won major cases for Texas on immigration, school rights, Environmental Protection Agency rules and religious freedom. 

Keeping up with the tradition of the Republican party, Paxton is known to be a fierce critic of former President Barack Obama’s administration. He reportedly filed more than two dozen lawsuits against the administration, out of which six reached the United States Supreme Court.

He has obtained an injunction or other winning ruling in more than 75% of the cases he’s brought against the federal government, according to Paxton’s official website.

Education and career

Paxton graduated from Baylor University and pursued BA in psychology and an MBA. He then went on to study at the University of Virginia School of Law. 

Also Read: 2022 midterms: What to watch in Georgia, Texas, elsewhere

Paxton was first elected into a public office in 2002, when he joined the Texas House of Representatives and headed House District 70 for a decade. He then got elected to the Texas state Senate in 2012.

Family

Ken Paxton met his wife Angela when they were students at Baylor University. The two have four children: Mattie, Tucker, Katie and Abby. Paxton and his wife also welcomed their first grandchild in 2020.