Changes

==2018 reelection race==

==2018 reelection race==

Paxton was unopposed in the Republican primary held on March 6, 2018. He received 1,312,135 votes.<ref name=ereturns>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar06_325_state.htm?x=0&y=1394&id=142|title=Election Returns|date=March 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 7, 2018}}</ref> In the November 6 general election, he faces Democrat Justin Nelson, an [[Austin]] lawyer who garnered 884,376 votes running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Paxton was unopposed in the Republican primary held on March 6, 2018. He received 1,312,135 votes.<ref name=ereturns>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/mar06_325_state.htm?x=0&y=1394&id=142|title=Election Returns|date=March 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=March 7, 2018}}</ref> In the November 6 general election, he defeated Democrat Justin Nelson, an [[Austin]] lawyer who garnered 884,376 votes running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Until late October, Paxton largely ignored Nelson's challenge and refused to engage in debates with his mostly unknown opponent. Then Paxton issued an advertisement in which he contends that Nelson is an "extreme liberal".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Attorney-General-Ken-Paxton-launches-first-attack-13337641.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Attorney General Ken Paxton launches first attack ad, calls opponent an "extreme liberal"|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|author=Andrea Zelinski|date=October 26, 2018|accessdate=October 26, 2018}}</ref>

Until late October, Paxton largely ignored Nelson's challenge and refused to engage in debates with his mostly unknown opponent. Then Paxton issued an advertisement in which he contends that Nelson is an "extreme liberal".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lmtonline.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Attorney-General-Ken-Paxton-launches-first-attack-13337641.php?utm_campaign=hptexas|title=Attorney General Ken Paxton launches first attack ad, calls opponent an "extreme liberal"|publisher=''The Laredo Morning Times''|author=Andrea Zelinski|date=October 26, 2018|accessdate=October 26, 2018}}</ref>

Meanwhile, Mrs. Paxton won the Republican nomination for the state Senate District 8 seat being vacated by Republican [[Van Taylor]] of [[Plano]], the [[U.S. Representative]]-elect for Texas' 3rd congressional district seat held by the retiring long-term Republican, Sam Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/06/angela-paxton-attorney-generals-wife-running-state-senate/|title=Angela Paxton, Texas attorney general's wife, running for state Senate|date=September 6, 2017|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=October 7, 2017}}</ref> Angela Paxton received 32,653 votes (54.4 percent); her intra-party opponent, Phillip Huffines, 27,421 (45.6 percent)<ref name=ereturns/> In the general election she defeated the Democrat Mark Phariss while her husband ran for re-election against Justin Nelson. Phariss won his party nomination over Bryan Chaput, 51-49 percent.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Paxton won the Republican nomination for the state Senate District 8 seat being vacated by Republican [[Van Taylor]] of [[Plano]], the [[U.S. Representative]]-elect for Texas' 3rd congressional district seat held by the retiring long-term Republican, Sam Johnson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.texastribune.org/2017/09/06/angela-paxton-attorney-generals-wife-running-state-senate/|title=Angela Paxton, Texas attorney general's wife, running for state Senate|date=September 6, 2017|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=October 7, 2017}}</ref> Angela Paxton received 32,653 votes (54.4 percent); her intra-party opponent, Phillip Huffines, 27,421 (45.6 percent)<ref name=ereturns/> In the general election she defeated the Democrat Mark Phariss while her husband defeated Justin Nelson. Phariss had only narrowly won his party nomination over Bryan Chaput, 51-49 percent.

Paxton won a second term as attorney general in the general election held on November 6, 2018. In a close contest, he defeated Nelson, 4,173,538 (50.6 percent) to 3,874,096 (47 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/nov06_331_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=545|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}</ref>

Paxton won a second term as attorney general in the general election held on November 6, 2018. In a close contest, he defeated Nelson, 4,173,538 (50.6 percent) to 3,874,096 (47 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/nov06_331_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=545|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|accessdate=November 7, 2018}}</ref>