The Voter-Fraud Crusader Who May Have Broken Voting Law
Ken Paxton has spent his career as Texas Attorney General building a brand around moral certainty. He’s the man who created a voter fraud tip line, sued school districts that refused to hang Ten Commandments posters, and declared that Texas would “stop at nothing to uncover and stop any illegal voting activity.” This week, two stories broke that make that brand look, at best, deeply ironic.
The first: Paxton was spotted in London over the Fourth of July weekend with Christian influencer Tracy Duhon, described by multiple outlets as his alleged mistress.
According to the Daily Beast and Washington Examiner, the pair’s European trip reportedly began in Iceland before continuing to London, timed to America’s 250th birthday weekend. Paxton remains legally married to state Sen. Angela Paxton, who filed for divorce last year “on biblical grounds,” citing infidelity.
The second, more consequential story: a joint investigation by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found that Paxton appears to have voted in six elections over the past two years — including the May runoff that made him the GOP Senate nominee — using a Collin County address he no longer lived at. Angela Paxton’s divorce filing stated he moved out roughly a year before that. Three election lawyers told the outlets he may have violated the very residency laws his own office enforces, and his office has separately warned Texans that misrepresenting a voting address is illegal.
The overlap here is hard to miss.
This is a man who has made “election integrity” a signature issue, who forced Ten Commandments displays into classrooms by invoking the nation’s “moral heritage,” and who is now facing allegations of both marital infidelity and voter-registration irregularities tied directly to that same collapsing marriage.
Paxton’s campaign has dismissed the voting story as a “baseless, lie-filled tabloid story.”
In a statement to The Dallas Morning News, campaign spokeswoman Madison Cercy said Paxton “is a lawful, registered Texas voter in full compliance with the law.”
But with a competitive Senate race against Democrat James Talarico looming in November, and Paxton’s history of scandal — including a 2023 impeachment trial he survived — already well known to voters, these twin stories suggest a candidate remarkably unconcerned with how his private conduct might collide with his public preaching.
Sources:
- ProPublica & The Texas Tribune, “Ken Paxton vowed to crack down on ‘illegal voting.’ He may have violated Texas election law.” (July 7, 2026)
- The Daily Beast, “MAGA Candidate Ken Paxton Torched for ‘Gallivanting’ Around London and Iceland With Mistress Tracy Duhon” (July 7, 2026)
- Washington Examiner, “Talarico knocks Paxton for spending Fourth of July in UK” (July 7, 2026)
- Houston Public Media / Texas Tribune, “Texas to defend law requiring schools to post Ten Commandments” (Jan. 20, 2026)
- CNN, “Texas can require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms, US appeals court rules” (April 22, 2026)
CENTRAL TEXAS BUSINESS NEWS
It looks like Georgetown is getting a new Amazon facility with construction starting next month. (Austin Business Journal)
Whitewater Amphitheater, a popular outdoor concert venue in New Braunfels, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after its operating company, Kona Coast Venture Ltd., sought relief Tuesday.
The filing came the same day the venue was scheduled to face a foreclosure sale. (My San Antonio)
Local music venue Emo’s says it will move into a new downtown location after its final show on East Riverside Drive this December.
A $41.1 million recreational sports park has opened in Cedar Park.
A Cedar Park-based space and defense firm has scored a $13 million contract to manufacture a heat-shielding shell for the agency’s 2028 SkyFall Mars helicopter mission. (Austin American-Statesman)
ICE activity was reported Tuesday at McNeil and Old Howard Lane.
Twenty aircraft owners owe Travis County a combined $1.98 million in overdue property taxes, according to a list released Tuesday by the Travis County Tax Office. (Austin American-Statesman)
Two street murals in Austin were paved over last week at the behest of state leaders who’d threatened to pull federal transportation funds if the city didn’t act.
(Episode from July 7, 2026)
One person was killed after being hit by a vehicle Tuesday evening on East Ben White Boulevard, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. (KXAN-TV)
The Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services said medics have responded to 41 heat-related calls from July 1 through July 6.
Months after the July 2025 floods tore through areas along Sandy and Cow creeks in northwest Travis County, some residents who applied for recovery help say they are still looking for answers about where the money went and how decisions were made.
Burnet County officials have implemented a burn ban effective immediately.
WEATHER
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5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
A 24-acre grassfire in Gillespie County was contained by emergency crews Tuesday.
Despite an El Niño that’s predicted to become the strongest on record this fall, forecast models are predicting a near-average hurricane season in the Atlantic from late September into November, toward the end of the season. Things are expected to remain quiet for now, as strong upper-level winds keep anything from forming.
The state’s population is projected to top 52 million by 2080, straining aging water infrastructure. A new plan calls for $174 billion in projects through 2080 to meet the growing demand.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Tuesday called on Governor Greg Abbott to immediately convene a Special Session of the Texas Legislature to address the unchecked expansion of large-scale data centers, warning that waiting until the regular session in January could come too late to protect Texas agriculture, rural communities, precious water resources, and the state’s electric grid.
In Hutto, Mayor Mike Snyder took to social media Tuesday to clarify the city’s stance on proposed data centers.
Texas lawmakers are preparing another major push to ban THC in consumable hemp products, with the 2027 legislative session expected to be the next battleground.
Federal and local health officials are monitoring a seasonal spike of a foodborne parasitic illness that has spread across 17 states, including Texas.
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a Houston man after he tried to run over a federal officer conducting a vehicle stop Tuesday morning, according to an agency statement issued hours after the incident. (Texas Tribune)
Inside the Texas Democrats’ convention in a rare hopeful year for party leadership.
(Episode from July 7, 2026)
Former Waco attorney Adam Dean Hoffman can no longer practice law in Texas after the Texas Supreme Court accepted his resignation.
A rapid rise in cryptocurrency kiosk scams over the last two years has prompted multiple states to ban or restrict the machines, per FBI data. However, Texas regulators still lack oversight—a regulatory blind spot that public safety advocates say fraudsters regularly exploit.
Roughly 1,200 Texans lost a combined $56.8 million last year through similar kiosks, almost double the amount taken from victims in the second-highest state, Florida. (Texas Tribune)
State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, the Democratic nominee for governor, is promising to send each Texas household a $1,500 check drawn from the state’s rainy day fund if she defeats Gov. Greg Abbott this November.
The FBI has arrested a New Mexico man after allegedly threatening to carry out a mass shooting at the LubbockPRIDE festival in Texas, stopping the attack before it could happen.
New data shows pickup trucks and popular sedans topped the list of the most stolen vehicles in the state last month, with thefts continuing at a steady pace. (CW39 Houston)
SPORTS
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP: The Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially drawn to a close following a thrilling Tuesday double-header that locked in the final places for the quarter-finals.
Defending champions Argentina survived a scare to push past Egypt, while Switzerland and Colombia went the distance in a grueling defensive battle that required a penalty shootout to separate the sides.
MLB: It was a banner Tuesday night for Texas baseball as both the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers secured decisive, late-inning victories on the diamond.
In Washington, the Astros rode a stellar performance from Nick Allen, who drove in a season-high three runs, and a solo shot from Jose Altuve to lift Houston to a 6-3 victory over the Nationals. (Associated Press)
Meanwhile, in Arlington, the Rangers used an explosive five-run eighth inning—capped by Alejandro Osuna’s clutch three-run blast—to pull away from the Los Angeles Angels in an 8-3 win, pulling Texas within just a half-game of Seattle for the AL West lead. (CBS Sports)
ON THE SCHEDULE
AL WEST STANDINGS
Texas Longhorns dominate 2027 recruiting—everywhere except linebacker. Is this a red flag, or a smart strategic move? BK breaks down why Steve Sarkisian’s top-five class is thriving at quarterback, running back, O-line, and beyond, but still searching for answers at linebacker after decommits and missed targets like Cade Haug. Can Texas flip prospects like Toa Satele or Izzy Hammons, or will the staff rely on last year’s haul and future Portal plays to plug this gap?’
Switching gears, the spotlight turns to the Texas Longhorns’ tight end room for 2026. With Michael Masunas and Spencer Shannon lacking proven production, will Texas pivot to more receiver-heavy and versatile offensive sets? Plus, BK sizes up Texas baseball’s savvy portal pickup in UCLA outfielder Payton Brennan, examining his fit as a potential Aiden Robbins replacement and the ongoing roster evolution under Jim Schlossnagle.
NHL: The city of Plano is hosting an open house giving residents a chance to see plans for the new Dallas Stars arena and an opportunity to voice opinions.
Daredevils and speed seekers, buckle in.
The new coaster at Six Flags Over Texas is ready for riders. After months of previews and a few delays, Tormenta: Rampaging Run opens Thursday.
Let’s take a preview ride!
