Ken Paxton's Dubai night out with two US fugitives sparks political storm as Texas Senate race tightens

President Donald Trump’s decision to endorse Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn is facing renewed scrutiny as fresh revelations threaten to complicate the upcoming midterm elections.

According to people familiar with the conversations, Trump was warned this spring that damaging information about Paxton could emerge before he decided to back the controversial attorney general. Trump reportedly dismissed the concerns, suggesting that negative material about Democratic nominee James Talarico would also surface.

Trump ultimately stood by Paxton, helping him secure victory in the Republican primary runoff in May. However, the endorsement is increasingly appearing to be a major political gamble as the November 3 election approaches. Despite Paxton’s attempts to portray Talarico as a far-left candidate, the Democrat has consistently maintained a narrow lead in polls. The trend has raised the possibility of a historic Democratic victory in Texas, where no Democrat has won a statewide election since 1994. Now, another controversy surrounding Paxton is drawing attention: a previously unreported New Year’s Eve celebration in Dubai, where he allegedly spent the evening with his girlfriend and two Americans facing federal criminal charges in the United States.

Ken Paxton’s Dubai celebration raises eyebrows

As fireworks illuminated the Burj Khalifa to welcome 2025, Paxton and his girlfriend, Tracy Duhon, watched the celebrations from the balcony of a luxury high-rise surrounded by other guests. The gathering was documented in a video viewed by The Wall Street Journal. Details about the event appeared in court filings and were confirmed by people familiar with the matter. Among the attendees were Anosh Ahmed and Sameer Suhail, two Americans who had been indicted months earlier on federal healthcare-fraud charges but had not returned to the United States, according to court records and people familiar with the gathering. Ahmed, a healthcare executive, had contributed $190,000 to Paxton, including a $25,000 donation made days after his indictment, campaign-finance records show.

Healthcare fraud charges against Dubai party guests

Ahmed and Suhail were indicted in federal court in Illinois in 2024 over allegations that they embezzled $15 million from a Chicago hospital where Ahmed served as chief financial officer. Ahmed, a businessman with interests in Texas, was subsequently charged in a separate and much larger alleged scheme involving at least $195 million in government payments for fraudulent COVID-19 testing. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Both men have since returned to the United States to face the allegations. Ahmed is in custody, while his attorneys have argued in court filings that he was overseas when the initial indictment was issued and that family health issues delayed his return. Suhail’s attorney, Adam Sheppard, said civil matters in Dubai prevented his client from traveling after the indictment. He added that Suhail returned voluntarily once those issues were resolved. The video documenting the New Year’s Eve gathering was referenced in a filing in a Texas civil court case in which the person who recorded the event is a defendant.

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Paxton’s long history of political controversies

Despite years of investigations and allegations, Paxton has repeatedly survived political challenges. The 63-year-old attorney general has won re-election twice while securities-fraud charges remained pending against him. In 2020, eight of his deputies reported him to law enforcement, accusing him of using his office to benefit a major donor. The allegations prompted an FBI investigation.

The controversy eventually led Republican lawmakers in the Texas House to impeach Paxton in 2023 on abuse-of-office allegations, which he denied. The Texas Senate acquitted him, allowing him to return to office. His personal life has also drawn attention. Last year, his wife of 38 years filed for divorce, citing adultery, following public reports of two alleged affairs, including one involving Duhon.

Paxton’s political allies argue that the controversies have failed to weaken his support among Republican voters and insist that his standing with the MAGA movement could carry him to victory in November. In a statement, Paxton senior adviser Nick Maddux did not directly address the Dubai trip. “Like President Trump, Ken Paxton has been politically persecuted for years, and every time, voters have seen through it and sent him back to office because they know he has always fought for Texas,” Maddux said.

Can James Talarico turn controversy into a historic win?

With the Texas Senate race drawing national attention, Paxton’s latest controversy could become another vulnerability for Republicans seeking to retain the seat. Talarico’s narrow polling advantage has intensified speculation about whether Democrats can break their decades-long statewide losing streak in Texas. However, Paxton’s history of surviving scandals suggests that Republican support could remain resilient despite the latest revelations.

Kent Schaffer, a special prosecutor who filed charges against Paxton in 2015, expressed frustration over the attorney general’s continued political survival. “It’s just amazing to me that he’s never been held accountable,” Schaffer said.