Pastors pray over Paxton at rally, cite Romans 13: 'Give him favor with voters'

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, October 22, 2026

A group of pastors prayed over Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier this week, invoking supernatural strength for the U.S. Senate candidate in the final weeks of his campaign.

In a clip shared by the X account "Pastors for Paxton," a faith-based coalition of nearly 30 pastors launched last week, a group of men, including Texas pastors Steve Riggle and James Buntrock, gathered to pray over Paxton at his Tuesday rally in Conroe, Texas.

"Lord, for this journey we pray for strength supernaturally for Ken, for his staff, his team," said Riggle, the senior pastor of Grace Woodlands church, in The Woodlands, Texas, between Houston and Conroe.

Pastors for Paxton gathered to pray over @KenPaxtonTX at his rally today in Conroe. Pastors @Steve_Riggle and @BuntrockJames led us in asking God to grant him wisdom, strength, and protection as he serves Texas. ???? https://t.co/8GQVrU5zxO

— Pastors For Paxton (@pastors4paxton) October 20, 2026

"We pray, God, you'll give him favor with voters. We pray for all of the stuff that's going on out there, in your name, that you will slice through all of that. Let deception be exposed fully, and let the truth be known. And for Ken, for his stand over all the years for the church, for pastors, for values in Texas," he continued.

"And Lord, we pray that you will bring him in this place where he can serve you, serve the nation and serve our state. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen," he added.

Buntrock, executive director of My God Votes and associate pastor at Glorious Way Church in Houston, then prayed over Paxton, citing the apostle Paul's description of the civil magistrate's duties in his epistle to the Romans.

"Romans 13 says that you are God's minister for righteousness; that you don't bear the sword in vain. You're an avenger against evil. So you're going to walk in that," Buntrock said, adding that it is only through God's ability that Paxton can fulfill such a duty.

Leaders with "Pastors for Paxton" attended the launch of Paxton's 18-day "Come and Take It" bus tour in Rockwall, Texas, last weekend, which will take the GOP candidate along 30 stops throughout the state before ending Nov. 2 at the Alamo.

Amid the launch of "Pastors for Paxton," Democratic Senate hopeful James Talarico's campaign established a similar group called "Faithful Texans for Talarico." The coalition of faith leaders from various religions launched last week with the endorsement of Jordan Walker Ross, who plays Little James on "The Chosen."

During a Zoom call with the group earlier this week, Talarico said they are offering hope to Texans and explained that his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jim Rigby, encouraged him to run for U.S. Senate "as a form of ministry."

Faith has been at the forefront of the tight race between Talarico and Paxton, who remain essentially deadlocked in recent polling. Both candidates claim to be Christians, though each has drawn scrutiny amid the alleged immorality in Paxton's personal life and Talarico's theological claims that many Christians deem heretical.

First Baptist Dallas Pastor Robert Jeffress, who declines to endorse non-presidential candidates despite often weighing in on political issues, has framed the Texas Senate race as a choice against what he described as the Democratic Party's advocacy for evil.