Statements and claims
What Ken Paxton has said, set beside what the documented record shows.
| What he said | What the record shows | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
Ran an AI-generated ad stitching together his opponent’s remarks about Christianity. Ken Paxton · Campaign ad · Sept. 15, 2026 |
FactCheck.org found the ad left out context and combined separate remarks into something he never said. | Rated false by fact-checkers | FactCheck.org |
Said he would have preferred the Iran war begin “later, after the midterm elections.” Ken Paxton · Interview with Bloomberg at the Republican midterm convention, as reported by the Texas Tribune · Sept. 2026 |
Texas gas prices are up 69% and diesel 53% from a year earlier since the war began. Paxton has declined to oppose it and did not respond to calls to do so. | Documented | The Texas Tribune |
Claims an “80% win rate” in his lawsuits against the Biden administration. Ken Paxton · 2026 Senate campaign messaging · July 2026 |
A Texas Tribune analysis found Texas got the outcome it wanted in about two-thirds of cases at most, and his campaign would not explain the 80% figure. | Disputed by record | The Texas Tribune |
Called himself a “strong supporter of IVF,” then nine days later said “we need to look more into” it. Ken Paxton · Interviews with the Texas Tribune and the Washington Examiner · June 27, 2026 |
He reversed himself within nine days, raising concerns about embryos created in the IVF process. Washington Examiner ↗ | Disputed by record | The Texas Tribune |
Ran an ad clipping his opponent’s border remarks to make it sound like he wants open borders. Ken Paxton · Campaign ad · May 27, 2026 |
The ad cut the rest of the sentence, “and a lock on the door.” PolitiFact rated it Mostly False. | Rated false by fact-checkers | PolitiFact |
Claimed in his runoff victory speech that his opponent is a vegan. Ken Paxton · Runoff victory speech · May 26, 2026 |
PolitiFact rated it False, citing recent photos of his opponent eating meat. | Rated false by fact-checkers | PolitiFact |
Ran a runoff ad accusing Sen. John Cornyn of backing “Muslim mass immigration” and “radical Islam.” Ken Paxton · Runoff campaign ad · May 21, 2026 |
FactCheck.org found the ad twisted a 2021 quote about Afghan interpreters, confused two different groups, and made claims it called “likely unfounded.” His campaign did not provide evidence. | Rated false by fact-checkers | FactCheck.org |
Warned Court of Criminal Appeals judges that their “days” were “numbered” after they ruled against his office. Ken Paxton · Statement aimed at Court of Criminal Appeals judges · March 6, 2024 |
The court had ruled 8–1 that his office violated the state constitution by prosecuting election cases on its own. He then helped defeat three of the judges in the majority. | Documented | The Texas Tribune |
Called his impeachment a “sham” coordinated by the Biden administration. Ken Paxton · Statement after the Senate acquittal · Sept. 16, 2023 |
He was impeached 121–23 by the Republican-controlled Texas House. No evidence of Biden administration involvement has been reported beyond his own assertion. | Unresolved | The Texas Tribune |
Called the court ruling that limited his power to prosecute election cases “shameful” and attacked local prosecutors. Ken Paxton · Public statement on State v. Stephens · Sept. 28, 2022 |
The Court of Criminal Appeals ruled 8–1 that the Texas Constitution does not allow the attorney general to prosecute election cases without a local prosecutor’s request. | Documented | The Texas Tribune |
Said Trump would have lost Texas in 2020 if his office had not stopped Harris County from mailing ballots. Ken Paxton · Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast · June 4, 2021 |
Harris County planned to mail ballot applications, not ballots. Trump carried Texas by about 620,000 votes. | Disputed by record | Newsweek |
Claimed the day after Jan. 6 that the people who stormed the Capitol were antifa, not Trump supporters. Ken Paxton · Facebook post · Jan. 7, 2021 |
PolitiFact rated the claim Pants on Fire. One source he relied on was deleted and the other was retracted. | Disputed by record | PolitiFact |
Told the Jan. 6, 2021 rally crowd in Washington that they would “not quit fighting.” Ken Paxton · Pro-Trump rally, Washington, D.C. · Jan. 6, 2021 |
He spoke at the rally that came just before the attack on the U.S. Capitol, then his office kept his communications from that week secret. | Documented | The Texas Tribune |
No statements match these filters.
Status labels describe the documented public record around a statement. “Contradicted by court ruling” is used only where a court has ruled on the underlying question. Labels do not assess motive.
Rated false by fact-checkers An independent fact-checker rated the claim False, Mostly False or misleading.Documented The statement was made as recorded; the source shows what was said.Disputed by record Official records or credible reporting document facts that conflict with the statement.Contradicted by court ruling A court has ruled on the underlying question in a way that conflicts with the statement.Unresolved The statement concerns a matter that has not been resolved on the public record.