Convenience Big Store: Paxton impeachment trial tests his conservative base

Testing the base

Politics can be so much like those Greek mythology stories where your biggest strengths are often also what can bring you down.

In the case of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, we might be watching this play out as support from the Christian right that was so critical to his rise in politics now shows signs of fraying, according to new reporting by Jasper Scherer and Taylor Goldenstein.

At the center of next week's impeachment trial is a charge that the Republican lined up work with a donor for a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Though the relationship surfaced more than two years ago, the impeachment proceedings have thrust it into public view more than ever before.

"When I think of someone cheating on their wife, I think of the relationship I have with mine, how valuable God says that is, and I picture throwing all of it away for selfish self-gratification," said Derrick Wilson, a Republican activist from the Fort Worth area who was recently elected chairman of the Texas Young Republican Federation.

Paxton has denied all wrongdoing. He has never publicly addressed the infidelity claims

Those standing behind the embattled attorney general say he has atoned by reportedly recommitting to his marriage and maintaining the trust of voters, who re-elected him after his scandals had already been made public.

But for some conservatives, the affair poses a clearer moral quandary than Paxton's other alleged wrongdoing. Infidelity is more widely understood and viewed by many Christians as a "litmus test" for one's broader character, said Zach Maxwell, a former writer for the far-right website Texas Scorecard and chief of staff for a former chair of the state House Freedom Caucus.

Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter

jeremy.wallace@houstonchronicle.com

Who's up, who's down

Up: John Cornyn.

In Austin on Tuesday, the U.S. senator told reporters that he's continuing to push legislation to legalize fentanyl testing strips nationwide. While some critics have suggested it might encourage drug use, Cornyn said the strips can help make sure people aren't duped into taking the deadly substance. "I think it will save lives."

Down: ERCOT.

Once again, the state energy grid monitor on Tuesday called for conservation as demand was projected to be close to available supply. ERCOT pointed to unexpected outages from natural gas and coal plants combined with projected low wind power.

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Pick of the day

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What else I'm reading

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