Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Republicans cannot dismiss the shocking election results in Texas, where Democrat Taylor Rehmet pulled off a double-digit victory for a state Senate seat typically dominated by the GOP. Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss 57-43 in the Fort Worth-area district that President Trump won by 17 points in 2024, resulting in a 31-point Democrat swing. Democrat Pulls Off SHOCKING Election Victory In District Trump Won By 17 Points In 2024 "Special elections are quirky and not necessarily projectable re: a general election," DeSantis said. "That said, a swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed. Republicans should be clear-eyed about the political environment heading into the midterms," he continued. Special elections are quirky and not necessarily projectable re: a general election. That said, a swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed. Republicans should be clear-eyed about the political environment heading into the midterms. https://t.co/KwX2m6wV6L — Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 1, 2026 The Hill shared further: Democrats cheered the victory, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) noting in an X post on Sunday that the seat hasn’t been filled by a Democrat for 45 years. “This isn’t the finish line — it’s only the beginning,” Crockett said. “The momentum is here, and it’s only growing stronger. Never forget who the power belongs to — YOU, the people!” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), meanwhile, called Rehmet’s victory a “wake-up call for Republicans across Texas” in an X post. “Our voters cannot take anything for granted,” Patrick said. “I know the energy and strength the Republican grassroots in Texas possess. We will come out fighting with a new resolve, and we will take this seat back in November. We will keep Texas red.” Rehmet and Wambsganss will face off again in November to fill the seat for a full four-year term in the Texas state legislature. "Republicans just lost a district Trump won by 17 points- in Texas. That’s not an anomaly, it’s a pattern. Democrats are building on our historic overperformance, and we’re not slowing down. November is coming, and we’re ready. ALL GAS, NO BRAKES!!" Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said. Republicans just lost a district Trump won by 17 points- in Texas. That’s not an anomaly, it’s a pattern. Democrats are building on our historic overperformance, and we’re not slowing down. November is coming, and we’re ready. ALL GAS, NO BRAKES!! https://t.co/9u1igHgFPh — Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) February 1, 2026 "Taylor Rehmet won a huge Texas State Senate race last night, the first time Democrats took this seat in decades," he added. Taylor Rehmet won a huge Texas State Senate race last night, the first time Democrats took this seat in decades. Here’s the kicker: Trump won this district by 17 points in 2024. When I say we have wind at our back, Democrats, I mean it. pic.twitter.com/SEBFkcIAiS — Ken Martin (@kenmartin73) February 1, 2026 More from the Associated Press: Democrats said Saturday’s results in Texas were further evidence that voters under the second Trump administration are motivated to reject GOP candidates and their policies. Texas Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder said Rehmet won by standing with working people and talking to Texans about the future. “This win shows what is possible in Texas with strong organizing, great candidates and strategic investments,” he said in a statement. “People are noticing that Democrats have the workers’ backs and are delivering results.” Democrats’ other state victories since 2025 included wins for governor in Virginia and New Jersey and in special elections in Kentucky and Iowa. And, while Republican Matt Van Epps won a Tennessee special election for a U.S. House seat, the relatively slim margin of victory gave Democrats hope for this fall’s midterms. With that backdrop in mind, Trump and Vice President JD Vance have pushed states to redraw their political maps to Republicans’ advantage headed into those contests, which will determine partisan control in Washington. Some Democratic states — most notably California — have pushed back with their own redistricting efforts. The Texas Senate seat was open because the four-term GOP incumbent, Kelly Hancock, resigned to take a statewide office. Hancock easily won election each time he ran for the office, and Republicans have held the seat for decades. The district is redder than its home, Tarrant County. Trump won the county by 5 points in 2024, but Democratic President Joe Biden carried it in 2020 by about 1,800 votes out of more than 834,000 cast.