Inside Ken Paxton's Jet-Setting Lifestyle: California Wineries, European Hot Spots and Ski Resorts

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for a U.S. Senate seat, but records show he has spent a great deal of time away from his official duties. Since taking office in 2015, Paxton has taken more than 275 trips outside of Texas to places like California wine country, European cities, and ski resorts. Those trips cost Texas taxpayers at least $1.9 million just to cover the expenses of his security team. The Associated Press reviewed state and campaign records to find out where Paxton has been going and who has been paying for it.

Paxton has left about 730 workdays blank on his official calendars since he became attorney general. On those days, there is no record showing what work he did for the state. In 2021, more than 90 workdays were blank, and by 2024, that number had grown to 112. Texas does not require its attorney general to report his daily location or activities to the public.

The cost to Texas taxpayers has grown sharply over the years. In 2015, the state paid about $30,000 to cover his security team's travel outside Texas. By 2024, that number had jumped to nearly $400,000. It is not always clear how Paxton paid for his own portion of those trips, since his office and campaign have not given full answers.

Paxton's office defended his travel record in a written statement. It said calendar entries don't capture everything he does, like phone calls, strategy sessions, and daily briefings with his team. His office also said some travel is necessary to reach legal agreements with large drug and technology companies. Paxton travels with a security detail, his office explained, because his high-profile work creates threats against him.

Some political experts are not convinced by those explanations. Joshua Blank, a researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, said the pattern could make voters question how seriously Paxton has taken his job. At the same time, Blank noted that Paxton has faced many accusations before without suffering much politically. His strong base of Christian conservative supporters has stood by him through several controversies.

One of Paxton's most frequent destinations has been California — a state he often publicly mocks. Texas Republicans, including Paxton, regularly criticize California's politics and way of life. Yet records show Paxton has made more than 25 trips there, costing taxpayers over $175,000. He has visited Northern California's wine country at least five times, according to records.

In 2019, Paxton used $11,000 from his campaign fund to pay for a stay at a boutique Napa Valley hotel, vineyard tours, and visits to two wineries. That same trip cost taxpayers $8,100 in security expenses. A 2024 wine country trip cost the public over $14,000 in security costs. During that visit, Paxton also went near Yosemite National Park, where his campaign spent $436 on a meal at a French-inspired restaurant.

Paxton's travel has also put a spotlight on his personal life. Last year, his primary opponent shared a photo of Paxton at the Kentucky Derby with a woman named Tracy Duhon, a Christian author and social media personality. Multiple news outlets have reported that Paxton and Duhon may have a romantic relationship, though neither has spoken publicly about it. Paxton's wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce last year and accused her husband of being unfaithful.

Over a two-year period ending in 2024, Paxton visited the Caribbean, Israel, India, Taiwan, and South Africa. He also made three trips to Europe and visited five different ski towns in the Rocky Mountains. In the summer of 2022, he went on a multi-stop European tour that included Italy, Albania, Greece, and Malta. That year alone, the public paid about $230,000 to cover the travel costs of his security team.

Paxton has also made many visits to Washington, D.C., and Florida. Since 2016, he visited Washington more than 31 times and made at least 11 visits to Palm Beach, home to former President Donald Trump's private club, Mar-a-Lago. In early 2021, Paxton played golf with Trump there and later paid nearly $50,000 to hold a fundraiser at the club. He has also made 28 other visits to Florida cities, including two stops at Walt Disney World.

Paxton's time as attorney general has been marked by legal trouble and political fights. He was investigated by the FBI but never charged, and he paid money to settle a felony case involving dishonest stock sales without admitting guilt. He was also impeached — formally accused and put on trial — by members of his own Republican Party, though he was later found not guilty. Through it all, his close ties to Trump and his loyal conservative base have helped him stay in power.

Paxton used his office to pursue lawsuits tied to conservative political goals. He tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and sued the Biden administration more than 100 times. Political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus said Paxton turned filing lawsuits into a key tool for building his political reputation. Rottinghaus said Paxton learned that going to court again and again helped him become more powerful and well-known across the country.