TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — Voters in Tarrant County have elected Democrat Taylor Rehmet to represent them in the Texas Senate.
The Senate District 9 special election runoff was between Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss after the two received the most votes in the November election. Neither of them garnered over 50% of the vote it took to win outright, setting the stage for this runoff.
The district has historically been a conservative district that includes most of Tarrant County. Rehmet surprised Republicans in the November election by earning 47% of the vote, while Wambsganss split the remaining vote with fellow Republican John Huffman.
The race garnered statewide attention as it was seen as a bellwether for the 2026 midterm elections.
Voters in the district will see Rehmet and Wambsganss’ names again on March 3 in the primary elections. Rehmet is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, while Wambsganss faces Huffman in the Republican primary.
The seat was previously held by Republican Kelly Hancock, who left to serve as interim comptroller. Hancock is currently running to stay in that position.
The Texas Senate is made up of 31 members. Before this race, there were 18 Republicans, 11 Democrats and two vacant seats, which included District 9.