Republicans are grappling with a stunning Democratic upset: a swing of 30+ points away from the G.O.P. in a deeply conservative part of the state. While the race was local, political operatives are already gaming out the impact on the midterms,

President Donald Trump on Sunday denied he was involved in a Texas special election for a state Senate seat after reiterating his endorsement.

DALLAS — Democrat Taylor Rehmet may never get the chance to cast a vote from his new seat in the Texas state Senate.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on his podcast this morning that Texas Republican power players are telling him that a recent upset loss in a special election in State Senate District 9 is an earthquake-level warning for the GOP's chances in the midterms.

In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump carried the 9th State Senate district in Texas by 17 points. Over the weekend, however, Democrat Taylor Rehmet beat Republican Leigh Wambsganss by 14 points in a special election run-off.

Republicans have slim majorities in both chambers of Congress so every seat matters. Redistricting was seen as a panacea for potential electoral upsets in Texas but if it is found to be ineffectual it will raise questions about the GOP's strategy and allocation of resources in fighting elections.

Texas voters face a Feb. 2 registration deadline just days after the District 18 runoff, with another election set for March.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s razor-thin Republican majority is set to slim further following Democratic Texas Rep. Christian Menefee’s swearing-in Monday