• Taylor Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by over 14 percentage points
• Victory flips seat Republicans held since 1991 in Fort Worth-area district
• Win energizes Democrats heading into 2026 midterm elections

FORT WORTH, TX (TDR) — Democrat Taylor Rehmet delivered a stunning upset Saturday night, winning a special runoff election for Texas state Senate District 9 and flipping a reliably Republican seat that President Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024.

Rehmet, an Air Force veteran and labor union leader, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by more than 14 percentage points in the Fort Worth-area district, with final tallies showing him leading 57% to 43%. The victory in a seat held by Republicans since 1991 energizes Democrats heading into the 2026 midterm elections and narrows the GOP majority in the Texas state Senate to 18-12.

“Tonight, this win goes to every day working people.”

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The 33-year-old machinist who works on F-35s for Lockheed Martin pulled off the upset despite being dramatically outspent, raising approximately $242,000 compared to Wambsganss’s campaign war chest exceeding $2.5 million.

Republican Spending Advantage Proves Insufficient

Wambsganss, chief communications officer of Patriot Mobile and executive director of its political action committee, saw 75% of her funding come from political action committees and major Republican donors. Her campaign received $350,000 from Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, largely bankrolled by billionaires including real estate tycoon Dick Weekley and Hillwood founder Ross Perot Jr.

“Tonight is a wakeup call for Republicans in Tarrant County, Texas, and the nation. The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home.”

The 58-year-old conservative activist also received $150,000 from Texans United for a Conservative Majority PAC, a committee started by Republican Texas oil tycoons Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, plus $100,000 from the Texas Senate Leadership Fund, a PAC launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick devoted to advancing the conservative majority.

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Rehmet’s grassroots campaign relied heavily on small-dollar donations ranging from $5 to $100, with significant support from labor unions including $10,000 from the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League and $10,000 from plumbers and pipefitters unions. He also received $2,000 from Eagles singer Don Henley.

Trump Endorsement Falls Short

Despite a midday Truth Social post by President Trump encouraging Tarrant County residents to vote for Wambsganss on Election Day, the endorsement proved insufficient to overcome Democratic enthusiasm. Wambsganss, who campaigned as “ultra-MAGA,” received Trump’s endorsement during the summer and made his support central to her campaign messaging.

“This election is being called the canary in the coal mine because Democrats across the nation are watching this race. If Taylor can win it in January, you’re going to have 600 million (dollars) fly into Texas against every single judge, against our governor, lieutenant governor.”

The special runoff followed a November three-way race in which Rehmet garnered 47.6% of the vote but fell short of the majority needed to win outright. Wambsganss advanced to the runoff after splitting the GOP vote with another Republican candidate, former Southlake Mayor John Huffman, who finished third.

District Demographics And National Implications

Senate District 9 covers most of northern Tarrant County, including parts of Fort Worth, Southlake, and North Richland Hills. The district became vacant after four-term GOP incumbent Kelly Hancock resigned in June to become acting state comptroller.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called the victory “a warning sign to Republicans across the country.”

“It’s clear as day that this disastrous Republican agenda is hurting working families in Texas and across the country, which is why voters in red, blue, and purple districts are putting their faith in candidates like Taylor Rehmet.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, an Austin state representative, seized on the victory’s broader significance.

“Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t happen in Texas, because it already is. As Steve Bannon himself has said, ‘As Tarrant County goes, so goes Texas. As Texas goes, so goes the world.'”

Immediate Election Cycle Ahead

Rehmet’s victory allows him to serve only through December 2026, the remainder of Hancock’s original term. Both candidates will face their respective party primaries on March 3, with Rehmet running unopposed in the Democratic primary while Wambsganss faces Huffman again in the Republican primary.

“I fully expect to win in November and said her campaign is already gearing up for the election.”

The November general election will determine who serves the full four-year term from January 2027 through December 2030. Political analysts note that Tarrant County’s political evolution mirrors broader demographic shifts, with Trump winning the county by 5 points in 2024 after Democratic President Joe Biden carried it in 2020 by approximately 1,800 votes.

Campaign Priorities And Voter Motivation

Rehmet made increasing public school funding a priority of his campaign, while Wambsganss advocated for advancing parental rights and transparency in education along with expanding school choice. The contrasting visions resonated differently with voters seeking change in what some see as the Republican establishment.

“We need our children to be taken care of. The public school system is a mess right now, and there’s no guarantee that our children are going to have a nice future unless we stand up and make a change.”

Over 45,000 residents voted early in the runoff election, about 20,000 fewer than in November. Early voting was significantly impacted by hazardous winter weather that shut down all polling locations during the final weekend, with some Election Day locations reporting wait times of approximately 45 minutes.

Can Rehmet’s grassroots coalition overcome Republican financial advantages again in November, or will this special election upset prove to be a fleeting Democratic victory in an increasingly competitive Texas political landscape?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from The Texas Tribune’s coverage of the special election, The Dallas Morning News reporting on the runoff, CBS News Texas election coverage, KERA News reporting on campaign finance and election results, The Texan’s analysis, Ballotpedia district information, Fort Worth Report campaign spending analysis, The Boston Globe’s national perspective, and Rehmet’s campaign website.

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