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Must-Win MAGA Christian Cornered Over Truth About Faith

Ken Paxton is facing questions at a critical moment in his campaign.

Questions have emerged about the church attendance of Republican Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, a self-described “committed Christian.”

Paxton, 63, faces Democrat James Talarico, a 37-year-old Presbyterian seminarian, in one of the country’s most-watched midterm races.

Paxton, the Texas attorney general, has said faith is a big part of his life and even influences his decision-making on the job, but he hasn’t disclosed which church he attends or how often, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

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Paxton used to attend Plano megachurch Prestonwood Baptist Church. He hadn’t attended “in years,” his adviser, Michelle Smith, said in March, in response to a story about how that church’s pastor, Jack Graham, had joined Sen. John Cornyn’s faith council ahead of the GOP primary runoff.

Paxton has visited political allies’ churches during his campaign, according to the report. Robert Jeffress, the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, said the attorney general was there a few weeks ago, and state Rep. Mitch Little said Paxton stopped by his church this summer.

When asked by the Chronicle where Paxton has been going to church regularly, Little said he didn’t know, but said Paxton’s faith is “deep and meaningful.”

In a statement to Hearst Newspapers, Paxton said he has been practicing his faith “at churches in communities all across Texas.”

“I’m a committed Christian, and my faith guides every area of my life, from how I lead to the decisions I make for Texans every day,” he said. “Right now, my focus is on meeting Texans where they are, and that includes sitting in the pews alongside them on Sunday mornings.”

The Daily Beast has contacted the Paxton campaign and his office for comment.

Paxton, who helped found the Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, also quoted his favorite Bible verse to Hearst Newspapers: Proverbs 3:5-6 from the Old Testament.

“‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,’” Paxton said, quoting the New International Version. “That’s my message to every Texan. Trust in the Lord, submit to Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight.”

Events in Paxton’s personal life have also spurred questions about his faith. Last July, his wife Angela announced that she had filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.”

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Former Southern Baptist pastor Rick Scarborough told the Chronicle that Paxton’s divorce could “suppress Christians even voting,” and that the candidate has “departed” from the tenets of his faith.

“If he would make a return, then we would see the church rally to his assistance, and I, for one, would do all I could to make sure that the Christian community knew about the repentance,” said Scarborough, who supports Paxton, but unenthusiastically.

Paxton should be open about his private life, Scarborough said. “But thus far, I’ve not been able to get Ken to do that,” he said.

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Paxton has made overtly pro-religion decisions while in office, such as supporting a state law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools.

In June, Paxton also claimed that he was “delivered by God” to make it through his impeachment on corruption charges a few years ago.

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