President Donald Trump announced Saturday on Truth Social that he endorsed Leigh Wamsganss, COO of Patriot Mobile, for a hotly contested Texas state senate seat. The state is holding special elections for the seat that Wamsganss is running for and Texas’s 18th Congressional district, where two Democrats are competing to succeed late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-TX) in the House.
“My very good friend, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, needs a strong conservative Republican in SD-9 to KEEP TEXAS RED!” Trump wrote about the state senate race on social media. “The Radical Left Democrats are spending a fortune to beat a true MAGA Warrior, Leigh Wambsganss. You can win this Election for Leigh, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”
The conservative suburb of Fort Worth was shocked in November by Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s strong showing in November during the first round of votes. Rehmet, a 33-year-old local union leader, won more than 47% of the votes in a district that Trump won by 17 points in 2024.
The surprise has led to extra attention on the race. Before Trump’s intervention on Saturday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R-TX) told listeners to a conservative radio show, “I’m very concerned about this election,” and begged them to vote. “Please, please, please, please.”
Patriot Mobile, the company Wamsganss helps run, was a major contributor to socially conservative school board candidates in the suburbs of Dallas and Fort Worth in 2022. 11 candidates supported by Patriot Mobile won their races that year.
Across the state, Texas Democrats Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards are competing to fill Turner’s empty congressional seat in downtown Houston. The position has been vacant for almost a year, with Democrats accusing Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) of purposely stalling the special election.
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Both Menefee and Edwards will then face Rep. Al Green (D-TX) in a March primary for the same seat, as Green is now running in Texas’s 18th district after the state’s congressional redistricting.
This special election will make Republicans’ slim majority in the House even thinner, bringing the balance to 214-218, with three vacancies.