The 'smug' Republican risking Trump's wrath by gallivanting around Europe with his mistress... as Democrat rival closes in at home

By MARYANN MARTINEZ, US TEXAS BUREAU CHIEF and JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT Published: 14:12, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 14:22, 7 July 2026 He's in the fight of his political life, on the verge of losing Texas for the Republicans for the first time in a generation. But aspiring Senator Ken Paxton shows no signs of stress.  In fact, the Texas attorney general is on vacation with his mistress, gallivanting around Europe without fear of being seen... and risking the wrath of President Donald Trump.  The Daily Mail has obtained footage of Paxton, 63, and his paramour, Christian influencer Tracy Duhon, 58, sightseeing in London this week.  As we previously reported, the pair jetted off to Iceland for a romantic getaway last weekend. London, it seems, was their next stop. As Americans celebrated the country's 250th birthday, MAGA firebrand Paxton was in England walking side-by-side with Duhon near the London Eye. The Daily Mail first exposed the affair between Paxton and Duhon in September, revealing that Paxton and the mom of seven became romantically involved in May 2024 after meeting at the Kentucky Derby when they were both still married. Duhon has since divorced her car dealership mogul husband and bought a $2 million mansion in a Dallas suburb which Paxton has listed as his official address. Paxton is still legally married.   MAGA firebrand Paxton was in England walking side-by-side with Duhon near the London Eye Ken Paxton and his mistress Tracy Duhon have been romantically involved since May 2024 when they were both still married US Senate Candidate Ken Paxton realized he is being filmed with his mistress as he walked down the street with his mistress on Fourth of July in London In the latest video, the pair seem to be dressed up for a special occasion.  He is wearing a suit and Duhon is in an emerald gown as they walked past the London Marriott Hotel on Westminster Bridge Road just south of the River Thames.  The footage shows Paxton walking arm-in-arm with Duhon, then turning around abruptly to face the camera.  At that point it appears to dawn on him that he's being filmed.  He storms ahead, leaving Duhon behind. She is seen bending over as if to pick something up, then walking on herself.  Paxton's campaign did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment.  Just last weekend, the love birds were filmed flying from Washington, DC, to Iceland in a video that went viral. The notable Lone Star State politician was recognized by several fellow passengers as he and his lover caught a red-eye to Reykjavik, the Daily Mail exclusively reported. But it's not his relationship that has Republicans running scared. 'Look, a lot of Republicans don't care about the affair. They do care about Ken Paxton winning the race,' a Texas lobbyist in Austin told the Daily Mail on the condition of anonymity. 'They're not going to be happy if he loses, even with the president's endorsement, if he was out running around with her.'  Paxton and Duhon were spotted traveling to Iceland in the midst of Paxton's campaign  With her then-husband Troy Duhon (center) standing between them, Duhon (right) and Paxton (left) pose for a photo at the Kentucky Derby in May 2024 Paxton and his wife, Angela, married in 1986 after meeting at Baylor University, a Baptist university located in Waco, Texas There's growing concern Paxton will blow the advantage given to him by President Trump's endorsement, which the commander in chief gave in May. 'He's so smug. Any other politician would be out campaigning over Fourth of July. He thinks he can do whatever he wants because of the President's endorsement,' a Washington, DC political fundraiser, who asked to remain unnamed fumed. Trump's seal of approval is what gave Paxton the victory over incumbent Republican US Senator John Cornyn during a contentious GOP primary election.  In a social media post at the time, Trump called the attorney general an 'America First Patriot' who has been 'extremely loyal.' The state attorney general showed his unwavering support by traveling to Manhattan during Trump's hush money trial filed in April 2024, where the then-former POTUS was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May 2024 related to payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels. 'Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate,' he wrote, in part. 'Ken Paxton has gone through a lot, in many cases, very unfairly, but he is a Fighter, and knows how to WIN.' Paxton won the GOP primary in a landslide, but now most polls show him in a neck-and-neck race with the Democratic challenger James Talarico in the general election in November. 'Stories like this just confirm to Republican elites and stakeholders that Paxton is not a great candidate, and is making things harder than they need to be,' Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas, told the Daily Mail. In an overwhelmingly conservative state, Paxton should be easily ahead of Talarico, a 37-year-old former teacher and member of the Texas House of Representatives.  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his mistress Tracy Duhon were spotted traveling to Iceland in the midst of Paxton's campaign to become the next Republican senator in the Lone Star State Democratic US Senate Candidate James Talarico poses with singer Willie Nelson in Austin on Fourth of July Former President Donald J Trump appears in Manhattn Supreme Court for the 2nd week of the hush money trial filed against him by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. April 30 2024. Pictured: Eric Trump and Ken Paxton Curtis Means for DailyMail.com Instead, Talarico is considered the Democrat with the best chance of winning a statewide race, something that hasn't happened in 40 years.  According to a New York Times/Siena poll, Talarico and Paxton both have 47 percent of the vote each. A win by Talarico would be a political earthquake and could change the balance of power in Washington.  'Every news cycle, or partial news cycle in which people are paying attention to (Paxton's affair) rather than some positive message about Paxton, or likely some negative message about his opponent is a bad day,' Henson added. The Talarico campaign did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for comment. By contrast, Talarico spent Independence Day in Austin meeting voters at a huge fireworks display and posing for photos with Texas legend Willie Nelson. Republicans in the Lone Star State acknowledged there are going to have to help overcompensate for Paxton's scandals. 'I think there's a lot that still has to happen, and there's gonna be a lot of money that's gonna have to come into this race to the tune of hundreds of millions to support Paxton,' San Antonio Republican Kyle Sinclair told Daily Mail. President Donald Trump will host the first-ever Republican party midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 and 10 to keep the senate seat in Republican hands. It's unknown if Paxton's divorce to his wife of nearly 40 years, Angela, will be resolved by then.   With four grown children, the pair are working on reaching a divorce settlement, according to court records. 'At least he’s getting divorced this time. I guess that’s progress. Are the kids at least old enough to vote,' a Republican political operative with lengthy history in Texas on Paxton quipped.