Texas state Rep. James Talarico is bringing attention to the fact that his Senate opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, spent the Fourth of July in the United Kingdom instead of the United States as the race becomes more personally contentious.
“Americans celebrated 250 years of independence from Britain this weekend,” Talarico posted on X. Ken Paxton spent it with the British.”
The Texas Democrat’s post included a video showing the Republican state attorney general walking in London with a woman in a green dress. Paxton turned around and looked at the camera, showing his face before he walked away.
The woman is believed to be his alleged mistress, Christian influencer Tracy Duhon, the Daily Mail first reported on Tuesday. Paxton and Duhon met in May 2024 at the Kentucky Derby while both were married.
Duhon appeared to be the reason for Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton initiating divorce proceedings last July. The divorce has not yet been finalized, though the couple is separated.
The Washington Examiner contacted Paxton’s campaign for comment. Paxton has not addressed his opponent’s post on social media.
While Paxton was seen vacationing in England on America’s 250th birthday over the weekend, Talarico stayed stateside on the federal holiday to pose for a photo with country artist Willie Nelson donning a “Talarico for Texas” cap.
Paxton generated criticism from Texas Democrats last week when he was seen boarding a flight to Iceland with Duhon before heading to England for the Fourth of July.
“At a time when many Texans can barely afford to pay the rent or fill up the tank because of policies Ken Paxton supports, he’s jetting off to Iceland ahead of America’s 250th birthday, for a fancy vacation with his mistress,” Texas Democratic Party spokesman Ryan Martin said.
Martin made a similar statement following the Daily Mail report on Paxton’s overseas vacation.
“The last place any patriotic Texan would be during the week of America’s historic 250th anniversary is vacationing in England,” he said. “Hardworking Texans are struggling to afford the basics because of Paxton-backed policies, but you won’t find Paxton caring — he’s off enjoying a lavish European vacation with his mistress.”
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After winning their respective parties’ primaries, Talarico and Paxton are preparing to face each other in the general election. With four months left in their campaigns, they are virtually tied in the Senate race.
In a June poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, the Republican candidate led his Democratic foe by 1 percentage point, within the poll’s margin of error. It remains to be seen whether the narrow gap will change much between now and November.