In what is a major political upset, Democrat Taylor Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss for the open Texas Senate District 9 seat in Tarrant County, the largest Republican county in the nation, according to complete but unofficial returns.
With 100% of the vote in, Rehmet, a union president in Fort Worth, captured 54,267 votes – about 57% – while Wambsganss, a longtime conservative activist, garnered 40,598 votes, or roughly 43%.
In a statement, DNC Chair Ken Martin said, “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. This victory is a warning sign to Republicans across the country… Tonight’s results prove that no Republican seat is safe. From now until November, Democrats are keeping our foot on the gas and organizing and competing everywhere, including in Texas and the rest of the Sun Belt.”
The special runoff in this Republican‑majority district – which includes Fort Worth and its surrounding suburbs – is being held after Sen. Kelly Hancock resigned last year to become the acting Texas comptroller. Both parties have been energized, with the national political environment helping drive turnout.
CBS News Texas
The race has drawn national attention since Rehmet won 46% of the vote in November’s special election, a three‑way contest involving two Republicans: Wambsganss and John Huffman, who finished third and did not advance. Since then, both Wambsganss and Rehmet have campaigned aggressively.
The Democratic National Committee has helped boost turnout for Rehmet. On Friday, DNC Deputy Communications Director Abhi Rahman released a statement saying, “The DNC is supporting the Texas Democratic coordinated campaign by recruiting volunteers and bringing our message to more voters. Democrats are building infrastructure in Texas, and the January 31 special election is a crucial test to keep Fort Worth moving forward.”
On Truth Social the same day, President Donald Trump urged Republicans to vote for Wambsganss. State and county GOP leaders have echoed that message. At a recent campaign event, Gov. Greg Abbott told CBS News Texas he is not worried about Republican turnout.
“I’m not concerned, and it does come down to what you say, and that is it’s a matter of getting our voters energized,” Abbott said. “That’s exactly what we’ve been working to do. This is a voter turnout operation. We know there are more Republican voters there than Democratic voters there, and we’re going to turn out all our voters, and Leigh is going to win.”
Several polling locations reported long lines on Tuesday, with waits of about 45 minutes, according to the Tarrant County elections website. Locations in Keller, Southlake and North Richland Hills were among the busiest. In North Richland Hills, some voters who did not want to be identified told CBS News Texas they were willing to wait.
“About 20 minutes, 20–30 minutes,” one voter said. “It’d be better if it were two minutes, but it’s still your duty. I would have waited an hour, that’s how important this is. I would have waited two hours.”
More than 45,600 voters cast ballots early, braving cold temperatures and wintry weather. To win, Wambsganss will need to outperform Rehmet in today’s vote. In November, she and Huffman combined for more total votes than Rehmet during the early vote and on Election Day. But when it came to the number of votes cast on Election Day itself, Rehmet won more votes than both Republicans combined.
The winner of the runoff will serve the remainder of Hancock’s term, which expires at the end of December. The Legislature is not in session this year. Rehmet and Wambsganss are expected to face each other again in November in the race for a full four‑year term beginning in January 2027, when the next legislative session convenes.
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