TEXAS — The outcome of the three-way race for state Senate District 9 in Tarrant County was unexpected.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet got 48% of the vote in Tarrant County’s special election, just shy of winning outright.
“I would say that the result in Senate District 9 here in Texas was probably the most surprising Democrat overperformance in the country Tuesday night,” said SMU political science professor Cal Jillson.
In the historically conservative North Texas district, Republican Leigh Wambsganss got 36% and Republican John Huffman got 16%. Even as the race heads to a runoff, both parties are claiming victory.
A date for a runoff has not yet been set.
“It’s almost more impressive that he was able to get that higher percentage out of the three candidates,” said Tarrant County Young Democrats President Hunter Griffin.
“Republicans won that election by five points, if you total the Republicans together,” said Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French.
Former Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock’s resignation to become acting state comptroller led to an expensive five-month campaign season to replace him.
Rehmet ran his campaign over $100,000. Miriam Adelson donated over $1 million to Huffman with hopes to get a pro-casino senator elected. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threw his support behind Wambsganss for her anti-casino stance, helping her defeat Huffman.
Both Republican candidates largely used their money to attack each other. Now, Republican leaders are urging their voters to come together, which could prove challenging.
“There were accusations that the Huffman campaign was using satanic messaging against Wambsganss. When someone says that about you, it’s hard to forgive them, and then to fall in and support them in the runoff,” said Jillson.
Rehmet is confident about his chances in the runoff, writing: “This is what happens… when Texans refuse to let their future be dictated by extremists or the loudest voices in the MAGA echo chamber.”
Political scientists think Democrats are more energized than Republicans expected.
“Democrats all over the country and including Tarrant County are just really ginned up to oppose Donald Trump in any way that they can,” said SMU political science professor Matthew Wilson.
There is even a thought the results in Tarrant County could happen again across the state.
“They were sending a message to the Republican administrations in Washington and Austin, that they were unhappy,” said Jillson.
But it won’t be a simple victory for Democrats. Republicans have held that seat since 1991.
In a post on X, Wambsganss said: “This runoff is about protecting our values and keeping Texas strong, safe, and free.”