Former President Donald Trump dismissed his involvement in a recent Texas Senate race where his endorsed candidate, Leigh Wambsganss, faced defeat. Despite Trump winning the district by a notable margin of 17 points in the 2024 presidential election, Wambsganss lost the special runoff election for Texas State Senate District 9 to Democratic challenger Taylor Rehmet on Saturday.
During a press interaction on Friday, Trump was questioned about his reaction to the election results in the Fort Worth-area district. After the reporter specified the race, Trump responded, “I’m not involved in that. That’s a local Texas race. You mean I won by 17 and this person lost? Things like that happen.” He further commented on the uncertainty of whether his electoral success in the presidential election could be translated to local legislative races.
In his remarks, Trump also criticized Democratic leadership, attributing issues such as “open borders” and rising crime to their governance. He contrasted this by highlighting the achievements of his own administration, which he claimed successfully closed the southern border and lowered crime rates across the nation.
The Texas State Senate District 9 seat was previously held by Kelly Hancock, a Republican who served for over a decade before stepping down last year to assume the role of acting Texas comptroller. The outcome of this election marks a significant victory for Democrats, indicating a shift in momentum as they prepare for upcoming contests, including the Democratic primary featuring Christian Menefee against incumbent Al Green on March 3, 2024. Menefee is vying to succeed the late Democratic Representative Sylvester Turner in the U.S. House.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin commented on the election results, describing them as a “warning sign to Republicans across the country.” The win in Texas Senate District 9 underscores the Democrats’ growing ability to compete in traditionally conservative strongholds, reflecting a broader theme of electoral resilience and strategy ahead of the midterm elections.
As political dynamics evolve, the implications of this race will be closely monitored, particularly as both parties gear up for pivotal contests in the coming months.
