Source: Austin American-Statesman/Hearst Newspapers / Getty
If voting shows how much people can’t stand the current administration, then people in the Forth-area of Texas are done with President Donald Trump. For the first time in more than two decades, the state Senate seat was flipped blue after Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat Republican Leigh Wambsganss, a Trump-backed candidate.
According to the New York Post, Rehmet didn’t just beat Wambsganss, he trounced him by more than 14 percentage points in the special-election race for the District 9 senate seat, an area that President Trump won by 17 points in 2024.
“This win shows what is possible in Texas with strong organizing, great candidates, and strategic investments,” Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said in a statement.
As Republicans head into the midterm knowing that the current administration is struggling, Rehmet’s victory is “a warning sign to Republicans across the country” that they are facing strong head winds, Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said.
Over the summer, four-term Republican Kelly Hancock left the seat to become the comptroller of Texas.
Rehmet, an Air Force veteran, couldn’t secure the Nov. 4 special election as he garnered just 48% of the vote, which forced a runoff election on Saturday. Rehmet will have to defend the seat in November in order to serve a full four-year term.
Trump publicly backed Wambsganss, hailing her as “an incredible supporter.”
Democrats haven’t won statewide in Texas since 1994.
Last week, Trump was on a “pat himself on the back tour” in Iowa where he boasted about his accomplishments since taking office. He added that the party in power always seems to face challenges in House races during the midterm elections.
“Presidents, whether it’s Republican or Democrat, when they win, it doesn’t make any difference. They seem to lose the midterms,” Trump told Fox News.
“Maybe [voters] want to put up a guard fence. You just don’t know. It doesn’t make sense,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re going to change that around. We’re doing great.”
