Early returns give Democrat Taylor Rehmet lead in Tarrant County state Senate runoff

Source: Dallas Morning-News

By Philip Jankowski
Austin Bureau Correspondent

AUSTIN — Democrat Taylor Rehmet jumped to a lead over Republican Leigh Wambsganss in a runoff Saturday for a Tarrant County state Senate seat, unofficial early results showed after polls closed at 7 p.m.

The returns included only early and mail-in votes, with the rest being tallied late Saturday. But they indicated that Rehmet’s trend of over-performing in what is considered a safe Republican district continued. He had 56.2% of the vote to Wambsganss’ 43.8%.

Political leaders in Texas and Washington were watching the race closely as a possible midterm bellwether for the two major parties.

Despite the northern Tarrant County district heavily favoring Republicans, Rehmet, a Fort Worth union leader, came within 3 percentage points of flipping the seat in November’s election.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/elections/2026/01/31/early-returns-show-democrat-taylor-rehmet-with-lead-in-tarrant-county-senate-runoff/

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Trump posted a long get-out-and-vote tweet this morning for the Republican.

Here's part of it:

Today is the day! To all Voters in Texas’ 9th State Senate District: GET OUT AND VOTE for a phenomenal Candidate, Leigh Wambsganss. She is a highly successful Entrepreneur, and an incredible supporter of our Movement to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

(snip)

The Radical Left Democrats are spending a fortune to beat a true MAGA Warrior, Leigh Wambsganss. You can win this Election for Leigh, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement.

(snip)

Leigh will NEVER let Texas, or the USA, down! President DJT
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Looks like the voters are ignoring you ... as they should.