Texas Democrats slam Ken Paxton's Iceland getaway with Tracy Duhon

Texas Democrats found fresh fodder to attack Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton after a video emerged showing him flying with his alleged mistress to Iceland ahead of Independence Day. The viral videos on social media show the married Texas attorney general traveling from Washington, DC, to Iceland on Saturday, along with Tracy Duhon, Paxton's lover, according to the Daily Mail. Democrats, including Rep. James Talarico, took aim at the Republican candidate, claiming Paxton is taking lavish vacations at a time when Texans are struggling to afford the necessities. 

The 2026 Texas Senate race between Paxton and Talarico has emerged as one of the most personally contentious, with the two frequently launching personal attacks on each other. Democrats seized on the opportunity when a video was posted on social media showing Paxton on an airport shuttle heading off to a flight with his alleged mistress, Duhon. While Paxton is still legally married to Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton and in the middle of divorce proceedings, he appeared to be standing close to Duhon and stroking her shoulder. 

As per the Daily Mail, the two boarded the flight at Dulles International Airport and, on the airport shuttle, when Paxton realized they were being filmed, he looked toward the camera before the video cut off. The publication noted that Paxton's wife, who learned about the affair last year, filed for divorce on "biblical grounds." On the other hand, Duhon, a Christian influencer, was married to a millionaire car dealership mogul from Louisiana at the time the news of her affair broke, and she has since been divorced. Fellow passengers on the flight told the publication that while the two weren't overly affectionate, they clearly appeared to be together as they embarked on an alleged vacation to Iceland. 

Texas Democrats tore into the Republican Senate candidate, slamming him for abandoning the political race at a crucial time to jet away on a vacation. "Ken Paxton was impeached for taking bribes from donors. He became a multi-millionaire on a government salary. He takes lavish vacations in Iceland while Texans can’t afford the basics. Ken Paxton doesn’t serve us; he serves himself," Talarico wrote in a post on X.

Texas Democratic Party spokesperson Ryan Martin also criticized Paxton on similar lines. "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," he said in an official statement.  

Paxton's international trip and the news of an alleged scandal come at a fragile time for his campaign, as a New York Times/Siena poll shows the Democratic Party has a serious chance to flip the Senate seat for the first time in a generation, with Talarico locked in a tied race with the Republican despite the heavyweight endorsement from President Donald Trump.