A historically red Texas Senate seat will be put on the line Saturday during a runoff election as residents — including many across Tarrant County — set out to elect a District 9 senator.
Two options are on this weekend’s ballot.
Republican candidate Leigh Wambsganss is the executive director of Patriot Mobile Action, a Christian conservative wireless service provider. Wambsganss champions lower taxes, secure borders and support for law enforcement. Democratic candidate Taylor Rehmet is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a union president. Rehmet advocates for workers’ rights, affordable housing and public school funding.
Polls will remain open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. A list of Tarrant County voting locations is available on the county website. Residents can find which district they live in through the Texas Legislature website.
Republicans have controlled District 9 for over a decade. The district represents much of north Fort Worth and parts of northwest Arlington, among other Tarrant County cities.
District 9 was propelled into a runoff election after none of the three original candidates secured more than 50% of the votes during November’s special election. Rehmet led the polls with 47% of total votes, and Wambsganss trailed with 35%.
The seat was vacated in June after former Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock stepped down to become the state’s acting comptroller. The winning candidate will fulfill the remainder of the seat’s term until early 2027.
The Senate race has drawn national attention from the media and political scientists as a potential gauge for where Texas stands ahead of this year’s midterm elections.
The midterms, which have been preceded by back-and-forth congressional redistricting in several states, will be key in determining whether the GOP will keep its majority within the U.S. Senate and House.
@PMalkomes