Democrat flips Texas Senate seat in former GOP stronghold carried by Trump

FORT WORTH, TEXAS: Democrat Taylor Rehmet achieved a surprising victory on Saturday in a special election for the Texas state senate, flipping a district that Donald Trump carried by 17 points in the 2024 presidential election.

Rehmet, a labor union leader and US Air Force veteran, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist, in the Fort Worth-area district. With nearly all votes counted, Rehmet led by more than 14 percentage points.

Another sign of Democratic special-election strength

The victory contributes to a trend of Democratic overperformances in special elections this cycle, supporting the party’s argument that voter enthusiasm has shifted under Trump’s second administration.

Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, described the result as “a warning sign to Republicans across the country.” “This win goes to everyday working people,” Rehmet told supporters after the race was called.

Seat opens after GOP resignation

The seat became vacant after four-term Republican Kelly Hancock resigned to take a statewide post. Hancock had consistently won the district in every election, and Republicans had controlled the seat for decades.

The district is even more Republican-leaning than Tarrant County, where it is located. In the 2024 election, Trump won Tarrant County by five points. In contrast, Democrat Joe Biden narrowly won the country in 2020, by receiving about 1,800 more votes than Trump out of more than 834,000 cast.

Trump-backed candidate falls short 

Trump commented on the contest earlier on Saturday, encouraging voters on his Truth Social platform to support Wambsganss. He praised her as a successful entrepreneur and “an incredible supporter” of his Make America Great Again movement.

Despite that endorsement, Rehmet received substantial national support from the Democratic Party, including backing from the DNC and VoteVets, a veterans group that said it spent $500,000 on advertising. Rehmet, who now works as a machinist, focused his campaign on lowering costs, protecting jobs and supporting public education.

Democrats eye momentum ahead of midterms

Democrats have found encouragement from recent electoral results since Trump returned to the White House. In November, the party achieved significant victories during the first major Election Day of his second term, winning the governorships in Virginia and New Jersey.

Democratic candidates have also secured wins in special elections in Kentucky and Iowa. Although Republicans retained a US House seat in Tennessee, the narrower-than-expected margin has fueled Democratic optimism as they head into the upcoming midterm elections this fall.

Rehmet’s victory allows him to serve only until early January. To secure a full four-year term, he will need to win in the November general election. 

The Texas legislature is not scheduled to reconvene until 2027, and Republicans will continue to hold a comfortable majority in the chamber despite the Democratic flip.