Taylor Rehmet, a union organizer and Democratic candidate, won a special election for the Texas Senate on Saturday in a district where President Donald Trump won by 17 points in the 2024 election.
Rehmet defeated Trump-backed candidate Leigh Wambsganss in a runoff election for the District 9 seat by 14 points, representing a 31-point swing compared to the 2024 results, according to CNN.
Trump himself posted three messages supporting Wambsganss on his social media platform in the final two days of the campaign, but after the results were announced, he denied any involvement. “I’m not involved in that. It’s a local election in Texas,” he told reporters in Florida. “It’s a shame. What can I say? I have nothing to do with it,” he insisted. The seat Rehmet will occupy had been vacant since the summer, when Republican Kelly Hancock resigned to become the state auditor.
The chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Ken Martin, said Rehmet’s victory is proof that the party is making a comeback ahead of the November midterm elections. “This was a historic result, and it’s because the DNC has been investing in races where we didn’t have an advantage to make sure we’re rebuilding our capacity and our message across the country,” he said.
