Democrat Taylor Rehmet wins a reliably Republican Texas state Senate seat, stunning GOP

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: NPR/AP

Democrat Taylor Rehmet won a special election for the Texas state Senate on Saturday, flipping a reliably Republican district that President Donald Trump won by 17 points in 2024.

Rehmet, a labor union leader and veteran, easily defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss, a conservative activist, in the Fort Worth-area district. With almost all votes counted, Rehmet had a comfortable lead of more than 14 percentage points.

"This win goes to everyday working people," Rehmet told supporters.

His victory added to Democrats' record of overperforming in special elections so far this cycle. Democrats said it was further evidence that voters under the second Trump administration are motivated to reject GOP candidates and their policies.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/02/01/nx-s1-5695678/democrat-taylor-rehmet-wins-texas-state-senate-seat

[FakeNoose]

1. Congratulations Taylor Rehmet and Texas Democrats!

This is quite an achievement, and it means there's HOPE for ALL of us!

[Lovie777]

2. Why would the GQP be stunned?................

hell red states, GQP controlled states are the meanness, authoritative, denying civil rights assholes around. Cruelty, and do as I say bunch of white supremacists.

Plus immigration and ICE are toxic.

[LymphocyteLover]

13. because they are morons who live in their own bubble... but this should be a big wake up call for them

[Callie1979]

3. Pay attention, Party. THIS guy won a BIG win. Run guys like THIS

And read the article from a couple days ago "The 4 types of Trump voter". It's very accurate from the people I know & we'd do well to understand the types we CAN get & how. We all know the MAGA are a lost cause unless they change on their own. Focus on the OTHERS

[orleans]

19. is this the article (from the atlantic) you're talking about? here's an archive link

https://archive.is/IVoO2#selection-899.0-902.0
so now, after reading this, i'm curious as to what percentage in each group have:

mommy issues
daddy issues
incel issues
were bullied as children
were bullies as children
were sexually abused as children or young adults
became a sexual abuser
didn't do well in school
didn't have a lot of friends
abused animals
what percentage of which group has the most authoritarian personalities?
etc etc

[Callie1979]

22. Yes thats it!!! The hard-core is the 30% you can write off.

The "bottom" 2 categories are the ones who still have some level of private thought. Add a good chunk of them to the Dems who voted for trump & you win bigly

[catbyte]

4. I'm starting to experience something that feels like hope.

[LtTx]

5. Great!!

We, as Democrats in TX, need to look at this race. We need to carefully think about the Crockett vs. Talarico primary. Who can actually win this senate seat? That is the endgame. We need to keep that in mind.

[myohmy2]

6. fearless leader...

...won't be happy...

... ...

[Bengus81]

21. Yup...pimping for her the last few days. Everything Trump touches DIES........

[in2herbs]

7. I hope the 6 on the USSC are beginning to feel the heat because we're not stopping at F45 and

his regime!

[broiles]

8. This victory was during a period of extreme weather.

Early voting was shortened due to icy roads, schools were closed for about 4 days of early voting and election day was freezing.

[dalton99a]

15. +1

[Sneederbunk]

9. Repugs, the voters are coming for you.

But they won't be wearing masks.

[Fil1957]

10. The Trump and Maga Republicans will do everything they can to interfere and even prevent fair

elections this year. They also see these numbers and not only must we expect election interference but we must have plans and strategies to counter them.

They have broken too many laws and are in too deep to not try anything and everything to prevent voters from taking away their power.

[Tetrachloride]

11. 50 State Strategy vs. The DNC and other Beltway Dems

[JohnnyRingo]

12. Importantly, did the republican campaign heavily on the president's name?

If so then it's a loss for Trump, especially if he endorsed the candidate.
I doubt Trump paid attention to a state senate seat, but if the candidate loudly decried woke and touted his MAGA background it's still an omen of a hopeful midterm.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended

Thanks for the thread muriel_volestrangler

[turbinetree]

16. "This win goes to everyday working people," Rehmet told supporters.

[Buddyzbuddy]

17. "Let the sun shine, let the sun shine, the sun shines in"

[LetMyPeopleVote]

18. I have been active in Texas politics for a long time and I am still hoping that Texas will turn blue

I have been following some demographic trends for a while that would indicate that Texas should turn blue. Texas is getting older and more urban. Texas was more republican that these trends would indicate in 2024 in large part because Hispanics voted for trump and the GOP in larger numbers than what one would expect. I grew up in or near the Rio Grand Valley that went for trump. I was surprised by this result.

Last night was a great result in a state senate runoff race where a Democrat won a seat by 14 percentage points that trump won by 17 percentage points.

Link to tweet

If this swing was held up nationally, Texas would be blue as would the rest of the country

Link to tweet

This race was largely symbolic in that the next time the next time the Texas legis will be in session will be after the November elections and special elections are not necessarily representative of national/regular elections.

I am encouraged by the fact that Hispanic voters in SD 9 went for the Democrat.

Link to tweet

In Texas, there is a racist tradition called sundown towns where non-whites used to have to be out of the city limits by sundown or face lynching. Vidor Texas is one such city. The democrat in this race flipped a local sundown city in this race

Link to tweet

These results are encouraging to me. I still believe that Texas will turn blue. trump's alienation of Hispanic voters should continue given the current ICE operations.

[calimary]

20. I hope it's a sign of things to come!

And THANK YOU, LetMyPeopleVote! Good stuff you posted!