President Trump brushed off a surprise Democratic win in a Texas state Senate special election — even though it happened in a district that tends to be solidly Republican.
Taylor Rehmet, a labor union leader and veteran, beat Republican Leigh Wambsganss 57% to 43% in the runoff for Senate District 9. The result gave Democrats fresh bragging rights as they argue that Trump‑aligned Republicans are headed for trouble in this fall’s midterms.
“I’m not involved in that — that’s a local Texas race,” Mr. Trump told reporters Sunday at Mar‑a‑Lago.
That was a shift from the day before, when he urged supporters to turn out for Ms. Wambsganss, calling her a “phenomenal candidate” and an “incredible supporter” of the Make America Great Again movement.
On Sunday, he downplayed the loss, noting he carried the district by 17 points in 2024 and questioning how much the result really says.
“Things like that happen,” Mr. Trump said, while suggesting that enthusiasm for him doesn’t always transfer to other candidates. “I’m not on the ballot, so you don’t know whether or not it’s transferable.”
He also warned that if voters put Democrats back in charge, the country would face open borders and rising crime.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the special election results “a wake‑up call for Republicans across Texas,” saying GOP voters “cannot take anything for granted.”
Democrats, meanwhile, said the upset fits a broader pattern of outperforming expectations in red areas since Mr. Trump returned to office.
“Republicans just lost a district Trump won by 17 points — in Texas,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin wrote on X. “That’s not an anomaly, it’s a pattern.”
“Democrats are building on our historic overperformance, and we’re not slowing down. November is coming, and we’re ready,” he added. “All gas, no brakes!”
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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