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Democrats notched another special election upset Saturday after Taylor Rehmet won a Texas state Senate race in a district long dominated by Republicans.
Rehmet, a labor union leader and 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, and The Associated Press projected him as the victor.
“This win goes to everyday working people,” Rehmet told supporters.
The result marked another strong showing for Democrats in special elections this cycle, fueling party claims that voters are pushing back against Republicans during President Donald Trump’s second term. Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin called the outcome “a warning sign to Republicans across the country.”
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The State Capitol is seen in Austin, Texas, on June 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
The seat opened after longtime GOP Sen. Kelly Hancock resigned to take a statewide post. Republicans had held the district for decades, and Hancock won four terms with little opposition.
The district is even more Republican than its home county of Tarrant. Trump won the county by five points in 2024, but carried the district with a 17-point victory.
Trump weighed in on the race Saturday, urging voters to back Wambsganss on social media and praising her as a strong supporter of the MAGA movement. Rehmet, however, benefited from heavy national Democratic backing, including support from the DNC and veterans group VoteVets, which said it spent about $500,000 on advertising.
President Donald Trump speaks to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Rehmet, who works as a machinist, campaigned on lowering costs, protecting jobs and supporting public education.
Democrats have gained momentum in elections since Trump returned to the White House, winning high-profile races in Virginia and New Jersey in November and special elections in Kentucky and Iowa. Even in a recent Tennessee House special election, Republicans won by a slimmer margin than expected.
The Texas state capitol building, in Austin, Texas, on February 28, 2022. (Fox News/Paul Steinhauser)
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Rehmet’s term will run only until January. He must win the November general election to hold the seat for a full four-year term. Republicans will still maintain a comfortable majority in the Texas Senate,.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
