Overview

• The Justice Department declined to prosecute Ken Paxton in the final weeks of the Biden administration, ending a years-long federal corruption investigation.
• Paxton has faced multiple legal challenges, including impeachment and felony securities fraud charges, but has largely overcome them, bolstering his standing among conservative voters.
• Nate Paul, the donor at the center of the corruption allegations against Paxton, pleaded guilty to federal charges in January 2025.
• Polling suggests Paxton could be a strong contender in a potential Republican primary against Senator John Cornyn, with higher approval ratings among Texas Republicans.
• Paxton has framed the investigation as politically motivated and drawn parallels to Donald Trump, further solidifying his support among the GOP's hard-right base.