Paxton Under Fire For Abandoning Texas Ahead Of America’s 250th For Luxury European Vacation With His Mistress

San Antonio Current: “Ken Paxton caught on video jetting off to European vacation with alleged mistress”

Chron: “Flying to Iceland for July 4—especially during America's semiquincentennial—won't exactly score him political points”

Daily Beast: “Paxton should be on the campaign trail. Instead, the married MAGA firebrand opted for a summer getaway with his mistress.”

Washington Examiner: “Texas Democrats rip Paxton after video shows him flying to Iceland ahead of July 4”

AUSTIN, TX — Heading into America’s 250th birthday, Texans are reading about Ken Paxton’s luxury vacation to Iceland with his mistress while working Texans struggle with grocery costs, gas prices, and healthcare because of policies Paxton backs. 

Back in Texas, Paxton is facing renewed criticism for his record of corruption including “an FBI investigation, a state securities fraud case and a near impeachment by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature.” No matter how long Paxton hides out in Iceland, when he returns, Texans will still have plenty of questions for him about his “patchwork” of scandals and the Epstein-style sweetheart plea deal he gave to an admitted child molester.

Read for yourself:

Chron: Texas Democrats blast Ken Paxton for Iceland trip during USA anniversary

June 30, 2026

By Michael Shapiro

• Ken Paxton isn't exactly in the American spirit as the Fourth of July approaches.

• Texas' Republican nominee for Senate was caught on video boarding a plane from Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. on Sunday, where he subsequently boarded a flight to Iceland. Paxton appeared to take his international trip with Tracy Duhon, a Christian author and influencer who is reportedly romantically linked with Paxton as he continues divorce proceedings from his wife, Amy Paxton.

• Paxton didn't respond to The Daily Mail's request for comment following the release of Sunday's video.

• Texas Democrats were more than happy to comment on the matter, however, ripping Paxton in a statement released Monday.

• "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 Spokesperson Ryan Martin said. "Once again, corrupt Ken Paxton is putting himself first and America last. Paxton shouldn’t worry too much, though – he’ll have all the time in the world for luxury getaways with his mistress after he loses in November."

• James Talarico, Paxton's opponent in the Senate race, offered similar comments late Monday night.

• "Ken Paxton was impeached for taking bribes from donors. He became a multi-millionaire on a government salary," Talarico wrote on X. "He takes lavish vacations in Iceland while Texans can’t afford the basics. Ken Paxton doesn't serve us—he serves himself."

• Flying to Iceland for July 4—especially during America's semiquincentennial—won't exactly score him political points on either side of the aisle.

• A New York Times poll released Tuesday showed Paxton and Talarico in a dead heat in the Senate race, with both currently polling at 47 percent.

San Antonio Current: Ken Paxton caught on video jetting off to European vacation with alleged mistress

June 29, 2026

By Michael Karlis

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was caught on video boarding a flight to Iceland for a getaway with his alleged mistress

• Paxton — a MAGA Republican now running for U.S. Senate — and his purported mistress of two years, Christian influencer Tracy Duhon, were spotted boarding a flight Saturday at Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Airport for Reykjavik, the capital of the island nation.

• Paxton, who’s running against Democratic State Rep. James Talarico for Texas’ open seat in the upper chamber, is still legally married to State Sen. Angela Paxton. However, Angela Paxton filed for divorce in July 2025 on “biblical grounds” following reports about her husband’s alleged relationship with Duhon.

• Paxton’s purported extramarital affair was the second allegation of infidelity against him to make headlines over the past two years. He’s also carried a patchwork of scandals into the Senate race, including an FBI investigation, a state securities fraud case and a near impeachment by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature.

• Texas Democratic Party Spokesperson Ryan Martin lambasted Paxton for jetting off to Iceland — considered one of Europe’s most expensive vacation destinations — while some Americans go hungry during the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations.

• “Once again, corrupt Ken Paxton is putting himself first and America last,” Martin said in his statement. “Paxton shouldn’t worry too much though — he’ll have all the time in the world for luxury getaways with his mistress after he loses in November.”

• Paxton’s trip comes as he’s virtually tied with Talarico, according to a poll released last week by Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.

Washington Examiner: Texas Democrats rip Paxton after video shows him flying to Iceland ahead of July 4

June 29, 2026

By Brady Knox

• Texas Democrats tore into Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton after a video emerged showing him flying with his alleged mistress to Iceland ahead of Independence Day.

• The 2026 Texas Senate race between Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico has emerged as one of the most personally contentious of the midterm elections. Democrats were given fodder on Monday when a video was posted on social media showing Paxton heading off to a flight with his alleged mistress. Paxton is still legally married to Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, though they are separated and in the middle of divorce proceedings.

• “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.

• “Once again, corrupt Ken Paxton is putting himself first and America last. Paxton shouldn’t worry too much though — he’ll have all the time in the world for luxury getaways with his mistress after he loses in November,” he added.

• The Daily Mail reported the couple being spotted together, with one passenger telling the outlet, “They were clearly together, but they weren’t overly affectionate.”

• The woman with Ken Paxton was identified as Tracy Duhon, a Christian influencer. The two met at the Kentucky Derby while they were both married, and Duhon appeared to be the reason for Angela Paxton initiating divorce proceedings in July.

• Angela Paxton divorced Ken Paxton in July after 38 years together, citing “recent discoveries.” Ken Paxton’s alleged infidelity was the focus of a corruption investigation that led to his impeachment, though the effort to oust him as state attorney general was unsuccessful.

Daily Beast: Married MAGA Candidate Caught With Latest Mistress

June 29, 2026

By Laura Esposito

• Ken Paxton is in vacation mode.

• Trump-endorsed Christian candidate Ken Paxton should be on the campaign trail. Instead, the married MAGA firebrand opted for a summer getaway with his mistress.

• Paxton, 63, was spotted traveling from Washington, D.C., to Iceland on Saturday with his mistress, Christian influencer Tracy Duhon

• The pair, whose affair was exposed in July, were seen at Dulles International Airport on Saturday night boarding a flight to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. 

• Representatives for Paxton did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

• In July, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton admitted that she was leaving her husband, the Texas attorney general, “in light of recent discoveries.”

• Months later, the Mail reported that Paxton had been having an affair with Duhon—who was also married at the time—since May 2024, after the two met at the Kentucky Derby.

• “Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds,” Angela Paxton, 62, posted on X at the time.

• Angela Paxton’s breaking point came after Paxton’s 2023 impeachment trial, which centered on reports of an earlier affair with a woman named Laura Olsen and his subsequent attempts to cover it up.

• House impeachment managers argued that he went to potentially criminal lengths to hide the affair from both his wife and religious voters. 

• Paxton was accused of abusing his office to help real estate investor Nate Paul navigate fast-approaching bankruptcies, mounting lawsuits, and crumbling businesses following an FBI raid.

• In exchange, Paul, a prominent campaign donor, reportedly hired Paxton’s girlfriend so she could relocate to Austin and secretly meet with Paxton through a private Uber account. 

• During the two-week trial, Paxton’s former top deputies—all of whom he hired—testified that he abused his power to help Paul and himself at the public’s expense.

• Paxton reportedly confessed and recommitted to his wife in 2018—but he never actually ended the affair with Olsen. His alleged girlfriend moved to Austin in June 2020 for a job with Paul’s company. Her annual salary was $65,000, and she reported directly to Paul.

• Throughout the summer, Paxton used the shared Uber account to visit the woman’s apartment in Austin dozens of times. By fall 2020, Paxton’s deputies had grown suspicious enough to report him to law enforcement. At 10:39 p.m. the next day, he took his final Uber ride to visit Olsen.

• Despite his controversial record, Paxton was handpicked by Trump to face off against rising Democratic star James Talarico in November.

Raw Story: MAGA Senate candidate called out for visiting Iceland with 'some lady who's not his wife'

June 29, 2026

By Nicole Charky-Chami

• Texas Attorney General and GOP Senate nominee Ken Paxton was questioned on Monday for allegedly traveling with "some lady who's not his wife," in a video shared on social media.

• Paxton was caught on video traveling with an alleged mistress from Dulles International Airport to Reykjavik, The Daily Mail reported. She was identified by the outlet as Tracy Duhon, a Christian influencer and mother of seven. He is married to Texas State Senator Angela Paxton, who filed for divorce under 'biblical' reasons; however, a state district judge canceled it last month.

• "Why is @KenPaxtonTX spending the week before the 4th of July in Iceland? He's in one of the most competitive races in the country, and he's not campaigning. Does this sound or look like someone willing to fight for the job or taking the campaign seriously?" The Lincoln Project posted on X.

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