• Democrat Taylor Rehmet won Texas State Senate District 9 by 14 points in a district Trump carried by 17 points in 2024
• Trump posted multiple endorsements for Leigh Wambsganss on Jan. 30 calling her a phenomenal candidate with his complete and total endorsement
• Less than 24 hours after the loss, Trump claimed he was not involved in that local Texas race and had nothing to do with the result

MAR-A-LAGO, Fla. (TDR) — President Donald Trump claimed Sunday he had no involvement in a Texas special election his endorsed candidate lost by double digits, just one day after urging supporters to vote for the Republican he called a true MAGA warrior. The reversal came after Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped Texas State Senate District 9 by 14 percentage points, a stunning upset in a Fort Worth-area district Trump won by 17 points in November 2024.

The defeat marks the first time in decades a Democrat has held the seat, delivering a blow to Republican confidence ahead of November's midterm elections. Trump, who posted multiple endorsements for conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss on Jan. 30, quickly distanced himself from the results when questioned at his Florida estate Feb. 1.

What Did Trump Say About the Race?

On Friday, Trump flooded his Truth Social platform with endorsements for Wambsganss, framing the contest as critical to keeping Texas red and stopping radical left Democrats from spending a fortune to steal the seat. He called her a highly successful entrepreneur and incredible supporter of the movement to make America great again.

"I am asking all America First Patriots in Texas' 9th State Senate District to please make a plan to GET OUT AND VOTE on Election Day, Saturday, January 31st, for a phenomenal Candidate, Leigh Wambsganss. She has my Complete and Total Endorsement." —President Donald Trump via Truth Social, Jan. 30, 2026

Less than 48 hours later, facing questions about the devastating loss, Trump appeared to forget his own endorsement entirely. When reporters raised the race at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, the president initially responded with confusion.

"I don't know. I did not hear about it. Somebody ran it where?" —President Donald Trump via Fox News, Feb. 1, 2026

After reporters clarified they were asking about the Texas state senate race he had endorsed, Trump pivoted to distancing himself from the contest entirely.

"I'm not involved in that. That's a local Texas race. Things like that happen. I have nothing to do with it." —President Donald Trump via The Hill, Feb. 1, 2026

How Did the Democrat Win in Trump Country?

Rehmet, a union machinist and Air Force veteran, won 57 percent of the vote despite being vastly outspent. Wambsganss raised more than $2.5 million, mostly from political action committees, compared to Rehmet's $380,000, largely from individual donors. The Democratic National Committee and VoteVets invested heavily in the race, with the veterans group spending $500,000 on advertising.

The district, which covers part of Tarrant County, is actually redder than the county overall. Trump won the county by 5 points in 2024, but carried this specific district by 17 points. The seat opened when four-term Republican incumbent Kelly Hancock resigned to become acting state comptroller.

"This win goes to everyday working people." —Taylor Rehmet, Texas State Senator-elect, via USA Today, Jan. 31, 2026

In a concession statement, Wambsganss acknowledged that Democrats were energized while too many Republicans stayed home, calling the result a wake-up call for the party.

"The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home. This is a wake-up call for Republicans across Texas." —Leigh Wambsganss, via KATU, Feb. 1, 2026

Why Does This Loss Threaten Republican Midterm Hopes?

The defeat adds to a pattern of Democratic overperformance in special elections since Trump returned to the White House in 2025. Democrats have flipped seats in Pennsylvania, won gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, and secured victories in special elections across Kentucky and Iowa.

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Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, said the Texas result proves no Republican seat is safe heading into November's midterm elections.

"In a Trump plus-17 district, Republicans had to go all out and still lost this race. Tonight's results prove that no Republican seat is safe." —Ken Martin, DNC Chair, via Yahoo News, Feb. 1, 2026

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who campaigned for Wambsganss alongside Trump, acknowledged the severity of the defeat.

"This is a wake-up call for Republicans across Texas. Our voters cannot take anything for granted." —Dan Patrick, Texas Lieutenant Governor, via Straits Times, Feb. 2, 2026

The loss complicates Republican efforts to maintain control of the U.S. Senate, where Trump has hesitated to endorse incumbent John Cornyn against challengers Ken Paxton and Wesley Hunt. Trump said Sunday he is giving the Texas Senate primary very serious thought but remains friendly with all three candidates.

"They say whoever I endorse wins. That's probably right." —President Donald Trump via CNBC, Feb. 1, 2026

Rehmet will serve only until early January 2027 and will face Wambsganss again in the November general election for a full four-year term. The Texas Legislature is not set to reconvene until 2027, and Republicans maintain a comfortable majority in the chamber despite this defeat.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Senator Ted Cruz had also endorsed Wambsganss, creating an all-hands-on-deck effort that failed to prevent the district from flipping. Political analysts suggest the result indicates voter fatigue with Trump administration policies on deportation and affordability, issues that Rehmet emphasized during his campaign focused on lowering costs and protecting jobs.

"You don't know whether or not it's transferable, but I'm not on the ballot, so you don't know whether or not it's transferable." —President Donald Trump via Wall Street Journal, Feb. 2, 2026

Will Trump's attempt to deny involvement in the Texas race undermine his credibility with endorsed candidates heading into the midterms, or will the president's insistence that his brand remains transferable prove accurate in higher-turnout November elections?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from Fox News coverage of Trump's Mar-a-Lago remarks, The Hill's reporting on the endorsement reversal, USA Today's coverage of Rehmet's victory, KATU's account of the concession statement, Yahoo News analysis of Democratic momentum, Wall Street Journal examination of Trump's claims, CNBC reporting on Senate primary hesitation, Straits Times coverage of Republican reactions, and International Business Times analysis of electoral patterns.

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