GOP STUNNED: Democrat Flips Reliably Republican Texas State Senate Seat | EUROtoday

Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped a reliably Republican state Senate district in Texas in Saturday’s particular election, persevering with a string of shock victories for Democrats throughout the U.S. within the 12 months since Donald Trump returned to the White House.

The Republican president instantly distanced himself from the loss. It’s a district he had received by 17 factors in 2024.

At Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, Trump informed reporters, “I’m not involved in that. That’s a local Texas race.”

Just a day earlier, nevertheless, he had used his social media platform to induce voters to help the Republican candidate, conservative activist Leigh Wambsganns. He referred to as her a profitable entrepreneur and “an incredible supporter” of his Make America Great Again motion.

Rehmet, a labor union chief and veteran, defeated Wambsganss simply within the Fort Worth-area district. With nearly all votes counted, Rehmet was main by greater than 14 proportion factors — a greater than 30-point distinction.

“This win goes to everyday working people,” Rehmet informed supporters.

Republican Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick referred to as it “a wake-up call for Republicans across Texas,” the place the GOP controls each statewide workplace.

“Our voters cannot take anything for granted,” Patrick wrote on the social platform X, whereas noting low-turnout particular elections are all the time unpredictable. “I know the energy and strength the Republican grassroots in Texas possess. We will come out fighting with a new resolve, and we will take this seat back in November.”

Rehmet’s victory added to Democrats’ report of overperforming in particular elections thus far this cycle, starting in March — once they prevailed in a Pennsylvania legislative district made up of suburbanites and farmers that Democrats hadn’t held in a century — and persevering with by means of to November, once they dominated candidate and poll contests from Maine to California.

And Zohran Mamdani, an unapologetic Democratic Socialist, was elected mayor of New York City, a Democratic stronghold that noticed the very best voter turnout in a mayor’s race in 50 years.

The showings come as Trump’s approval rankings with the general public maintain regular at round 40%. A January AP-NORC ballot discovered {that a} majority of U.S. adults disapprove of the way in which he’s dealing with international coverage, commerce negotiations and immigration, in addition to the financial system.

Democrats mentioned Saturday’s ends in Texas have been additional proof that voters beneath the second Trump administration are motivated to reject GOP candidates and their insurance policies.

Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder mentioned Rehmet received by standing with working folks and speaking to Texans in regards to the future.

“This win shows what is possible in Texas with strong organizing, great candidates and strategic investments,” he mentioned in an announcement. “People are noticing that Democrats have the workers’ backs and are delivering results.”

Democrats’ different state victories since 2025 included wins for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and in particular elections in Kentucky and Iowa. And, whereas Republican Matt Van Epps received a Tennessee particular election for a U.S. House seat, the comparatively slim margin of victory gave Democrats hope for this fall’s midterms.

With that backdrop in thoughts, Trump and Vice President JD Vance have pushed states to redraw their political maps to Republicans’ benefit headed into these contests, which can decide partisan management in Washington. Some Democratic states — most notably California — have pushed again with their very own redistricting efforts.

The Texas Senate seat was open as a result of the four-term GOP incumbent, Kelly Hancock, resigned to take a statewide workplace. Hancock simply received election every time he ran for the workplace, and Republicans have held the seat for many years.

The district is redder than its residence, Tarrant County. Trump received the county by 5 factors in 2024, however Democratic President Joe Biden carried it in 2020 by about 1,800 votes out of greater than 834,000 forged.

But Rehmet had help from nationwide organizations, together with the DNC and VoteVets, a veterans group that mentioned it spent $500,000 on adverts. Rehmet, who served within the Air Force and works as a machinist, centered on reducing prices, supporting public schooling and defending jobs.

Wambsganss warned her occasion to not be complacent.

“The Democrats were energized,” she mentioned in an announcement. “Too many Republicans stayed home.”

Rehmet’s victory permits him to serve solely till early January, and he’ll face Wambganss once more within the November normal election to maintain the seat for a full four-year time period. The Texas Legislature will not be set to reconvene till 2027, and the GOP nonetheless can have a cushty majority.

Will Weissert contributed to this report from Palm Beach, Florida.