Democrat Taylor Rehmet Flips Texas Senate Seat Trump Won by 17 Points
Rehmet won a Jan. 31 special election 57%-43%, receiving 54,267 votes to 40,598 and flipping a district Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024.
Overview
Taylor Rehmet, a leader of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and an Air Force veteran, defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss 57%-43% in the Jan. 31 special election for Texas Senate District 9, receiving 54,267 votes to 40,598, according to Tarrant County election records.
The victory flips District 9, which Donald Trump carried by 17 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election, and marks the first Democratic representation of northern Tarrant County in the state Senate since the early 1980s, according to longtime local political journalist Bud Kennedy.
Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick called the result "a wake-up call for Republicans across Texas" in an X post and warned that low-turnout special elections are unpredictable, while Democratic officials including DNC Chair Ken Martin framed the outcome as evidence of Democratic overperformance, party statements show.
Tarrant County records show more than 45,600 early ballots in the county, campaign finance reports reviewed by the Fort Worth Report show Leigh Wambsganss raised more than $2.5 million to Taylor Rehmet's $242,174, and VoteVets reported spending $500,000 on ads, according to group and county records.
Taylor Rehmet will serve the remainder of Kelly Hancock's term through early Jan. 2027 and must face Leigh Wambsganss again on Nov. 3, 2026 to win a full four-year term, county records show, while Republicans plan an aggressive effort to reclaim the seat.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the race as part of a national Democratic momentum story, using loaded headlines ('flips,' 'upset') and foregrounding DNC and national-group reactions. Editorial choices prioritize turnout and partisan swing implications; selected quotes from party officials are presented as source content, while local GOP perspectives get less emphasis.
Sources (22)
FAQ
Taylor Rehmet is a Democratic politician, aircraft mechanic, union leader (President of IAM Local 776B and Texas IAM Union State Council), and U.S. Air Force veteran born in 1992 or 1993, who won the Texas Senate District 9 special election.[1][2]
Taylor Rehmet (Democrat) won with 57% of the vote (54,267-54,280 votes), defeating Republican Leigh Wambsganss who received 43% (40,598-40,600 votes), flipping the seat Trump won by 17 points in 2024.
The election was to fill the vacancy left by Republican Kelly Hancock, who resigned to become Chief Clerk of the Texas Comptroller's Office; Rehmet won the November 2025 special election first round and the January 31, 2026 runoff.[1]
Republican Leigh Wambsganss raised over $2.5 million, while Democrat Taylor Rehmet raised $242,174; VoteVets spent $500,000 on ads supporting Rehmet, and Republicans like Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick provided late funding.[4]
Rehmet will serve the remainder of Kelly Hancock's term until early January 2027; he must face Leigh Wambsganss again in the November 3, 2026 general election for a full four-year term.
History
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