Democrat Taylor Rehmet leads in Tarrant County Senate runoff

Early returns show Rehmet ahead of Republican Leigh Wambsganss in the special election race

Jan. 31, 2026 at 7:31pm

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In a closely watched special election runoff for a Tarrant County state Senate seat, early returns show Democrat Taylor Rehmet leading Republican Leigh Wambsganss. Rehmet, a union leader from Fort Worth, came within 3 percentage points of flipping the traditionally Republican district in the November election. The race has drawn national attention as a potential midterm bellwether.

Why it matters

The Tarrant County Senate seat has been a safe Republican district, but Rehmet's strong showing in the November election has made this runoff an unexpected battleground. The outcome could signal broader trends for the two parties heading into the 2026 midterms.

The details

The early vote results show Rehmet with 56.2% of the vote compared to Wambsganss' 43.8%. Wambsganss, a Southlake resident and vice president of the conservative cellphone provider Patriot Mobile, had the backing of top Texas Republicans including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and former President Donald Trump. Rehmet, an Air Force veteran and Lockheed Martin aircraft mechanic, has drawn support from state Democrats.

  • The runoff election is being held on Saturday, February 1, 2026.
  • The early vote results were released on Saturday evening.

The players

Taylor Rehmet

A 33-year-old Democrat and union leader from Fort Worth who is running for the state Senate seat.

Leigh Wambsganss

A 58-year-old Republican from Southlake who is the vice president of the conservative cellphone provider Patriot Mobile and is running for the state Senate seat.

Dan Patrick

The Republican lieutenant governor of Texas who leads the GOP-dominated state Senate.

Donald Trump

The former Republican president who endorsed Wambsganss in the race.

James Talarico

A Democratic state representative from Austin who is running for the U.S. Senate and has supported Rehmet's campaign.

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What they’re saying

“'Leigh Wambsganss, a Republican running for the State Senate in the suburbs of Fort Worth, Texas, will be a GREAT Candidate and has my Complete and Total endorsement.'”

— Donald Trump

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

The final vote totals will be tallied late Saturday night. Regardless of the outcome, Rehmet and Wambsganss will face each other again in the March 3 primary election, where they are running unopposed in their respective parties.

The takeaway

This closely watched special election runoff in a traditionally Republican district highlights the shifting political dynamics in Texas, with Democrats making inroads in suburban areas. The outcome could provide an early indication of the national political landscape heading into the 2026 midterm elections.