TX Democrat Taylor Rehmet Flips +21 point (R) District & Menefee Wins Congressional Race
A political earthquake proves that Texas Republicans are bleeding ground.
Not only did a BIG BLUE wave crash on Texas tonight, but this wave was also distinctively progressive. Two of Lone Star Left’s endorsements, Taylor Rehmet and Christian Menefee, just won their special elections.
And while Christian Menefee’s win in Houston’s TX18 may not be as much of a surprise, Taylor Rehmet’s win in Tarrant County appears to have caught a few off guard. Not only was this a +21(R) district that Trump won last year by 17 points, but the Republican running was a boot-licking, culture-war clown with no vision beyond punching down and kissing up (a typical Republican favorite).
But let me tell you, I never had any doubt. Because I saw firsthand how hard Democrats worked to get him elected, and THIS is what we can do when we all decide to come together and make a win happen in Texas.
Many Democrats flew and drove into Tarrant County to help Taylor Rehmet win. House Reps, State Senators, and even Gina Hinojosa, candidate for governor, all showed up to block-walk for Rehmet. The Tarrant County Democratic Party, under Alison Campollo’s leadership, made this race its biggest focus in the last few months.
And once again, I’m really going to have to give props to Tarrant County Young Dems. This Young Dems Chapter keeps showing up and really puts in the work. The youth will save us all, one day.
And while this battle is done, the war is far from over.
Taylor Rehmet.
Rehmet will be sworn in as the first Democratic State Senator in north Tarrant County since Bill Meier in 1978. Meier switched to the GOP in 1981. I learned that little tidbit from Bud Kennedy.
He’ll serve the remainder of Kelly Hancock’s term, which ends in 2026. This means Tarrant County has to elect Taylor Rehmet again in November if we want him to actually have power in the Texas Senate, since 2026 is a legislative off-year.
But proving that Democrats can win this district is HUGE and will move the goalpost for Republicans in November. He’ll be facing off against the same MAGA placeholder with no vision at that time.
And if we can do it once, we can do it again.
Christian Menefee.
I’m beyond over-the-moon because Christian Menefee is a true progressive who will fight in Congress for universal healthcare, to abolish ICE, to impeach the orange one, and to check every other progressive box we want. Menefee isn’t just a progressive. He’s a Texas progressive, just like Greg Casar, and in Congress, he’s going to make us proud.
He’ll be sworn in and add to the Democrats’ House numbers, but he has another primary race he’s going to have to win on March 3.
Not only is he once again going against Amenda Edwards, but this time, he’ll also be facing off against progressive champion, 75-year-old Al Green.
We love Al Green, and always will. But the endorsement for Christian Menefee stands through this election, because I do think it’s time to let the next generation lead. TX18 will have to get out and vote for Menefee again in just a few weeks.
But now the questions are:
How soon until Menefee joins the Congressional Progressive Caucus?
Will he also join the squad?
Note to every Texas Democrat on the ballot:
I’m in groups with members of the Houston Progressive Caucus. I live in Tarrant County. Do you know what these two winners had in common? They built large volunteer groups, and they were block-walking CONSTANTLY. They were phone-banking CONSTANTLY. They were having events CONSTANTLY. These campaigns were doing the hard work it takes to win an election in Texas. Emulate them. Get out there. Do the work.
Plan to see more analysis on these two races next week, but there are some huge indications for Texas Democrats up and down the ballot.
Taylor Rehmet gained real ground in heavily Hispanic Fort Worth precincts and outperformed the top of the 2024 Democratic ticket by wide margins. That happens because people were asked to vote, early and often, by campaigns that showed up.
That’s the lesson Texas Democrats need to internalize right now. Organizing works. Block-walking works. Phone-banking works. Building trust precinct by precinct works. And when Democrats stop treating red districts as lost causes, voters respond.
These wins move the goalposts. They force Republicans to spend money they didn’t plan to spend. They expand the map. And they prove, yet again, that Texas isn’t red. It’s winnable.
More analysis coming soon. But for tonight, Texas Democrats should sit with this truth: the path to power is right in front of us, and it looks a lot like hard work.
February 2, 2026: Last Day to Register to Vote
February 17, 2026: First Day to Early Vote
March 3, 2026: Primary Election
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I super love this. I founded Secular Houston, and we proudly endorsed Christian Menefee. We will work to help him win his election on March 3rd and beyond. He will be a terrific member of the Congressional Freethought Caucus as well.
I'm seeing analyses that say there were swings of up to 50 points left in Hispanic neighborhoods of Ft Worth.