Texas AG Ken Paxton backs $2M loan to wife's state Senate campaign It's all in the family in Texas politics this year

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, and his wife, Angela Paxton, pose for a portrait Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in Austin. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, right, and his wife, Angela Paxton, pose for a portrait Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in Austin. Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Photo: Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Texas AG Ken Paxton backs $2M loan to wife's state Senate campaign 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

AUSTIN -- Attorney General Ken Paxton's political campaign guaranteed a $2 million loan to help his wife fuel her bid for a state Senate seat in North Texas.

The Bank of the Ozarks loaned the money to Angela Paxton, a Collin County Republican, with the help of Ken Paxton's campaign operating as a guarantor, according to the attorney general's campaign spokesman. That means if Paxton's wife's campaign cannot pay the loan back, Ken Paxton's campaign is responsible for paying off the debt.

"Attorney General Paxton is confident she is going to win and her campaign will be able to pay back the loan with interest," said Matt Welch, a spokesman for the attorney general's campaign.

Angela, a former guidance counselor, is running for Senate District 8, which sits north of Dallas. In the March 6 Republican primary election, she is running against Phillip Huffines, a former Dallas County GOP chairman and twin brother of Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas.

The winner will face the Democratic primary winner in the general election.

"Of course I'm strongly supporting my wife and have been throughout her campaign," Paxton said in a statement. "As someone who has represented Senate District 8, the legacy of conservative leadership is very important to me and there is no doubt that Angela Paxton is the constitutional conservative most trusted to represent this district."

Ken Paxton, a magnet to controversy, is seeking reelection to attorney general but has no Republican opponent this year.

Justin Nelson, an Austin lawyer and Democrat, is running against him in the general election. Nelson's campaign scoffed at the attorney general's move to back the loan as "shocking but not surprising.

"This loan emphasizes the corruption of the political class. It's not normal for the attorney general's campaign to lend his wife's campaign $2 million. It's wrong," said Nate Walker, Nelson's campaign manager.

Known for suing the Obama administration, Paxton is under criminal indictment for securities fraud. He maintains his innocence and a federal judge dismissed similar civil charges last year.

Andrea Zelinski covers politics for the Houston Chronicle. As the election season heats up, follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com.