Comptroller Candidate's Family Bought Epstein's Former Ranch

Don Huffines' family purchased the disgraced financier's New Mexico property years after his death.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The family of Don Huffines, a former Republican Texas senator who is now running for state comptroller, purchased Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico four years after the disgraced financier's death. Huffines' campaign said the family bought the property at a public auction, and had never visited it prior to the listing.

Why it matters

The revelation of the Huffines family's ownership of Epstein's former ranch has raised questions about the candidate's ties to the convicted sex offender, whose connections to powerful figures have become a political controversy.

The details

A limited liability corporation tied to the Huffines family bought the property in 2023 for an undisclosed amount, later protesting its $13.4 million valuation for tax purposes in part because of the 'notoriety' of the property. Public records obtained by the Santa Fe New Mexican linked Huffines to the company that purchased the ranch.

  • Epstein died in 2019.
  • The Huffines family purchased the property in 2023, four years after Epstein's death.

The players

Don Huffines

A former Republican Texas senator who is now campaigning to become the state's comptroller.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender and financier whose connections to powerful figures have become a political controversy.

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What they’re saying

“Four years after Mr. Epstein's death, the Huffines family purchased property in New Mexico listed at public auction whose proceeds benefited his victims. Prior to the auction listing, they had never visited the property.”

— Allen Blakemore, Huffines' campaign spokesperson

What’s next

The revelation of the Huffines family's ownership of Epstein's former ranch is likely to become a campaign issue as Huffines seeks the Republican nomination for Texas comptroller.

The takeaway

The Huffines family's purchase of Epstein's former ranch has raised questions about the candidate's ties to the disgraced financier, underscoring the political sensitivity surrounding Epstein's connections to powerful figures.