Kelly Hancock is a very specific kind of Texas Republican. He’d fit in at any moment in the past 50 years of state GOP politics: A businessman with a penchant for small-government, low-regulation conservatism and hair like a richer version of Rick Perry.

"The success of a rain dance has a lot to do with timing..."

Republicans are stepping up their warnings about the midterms after a stunning Democratic upset in Texas over the weekend. The Republican Party was already grappling with growing backlash to a pair of immigration-related shootings in Minneapolis before Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s shock win in a state Senate race in the Lone Star State on Saturday.

Democrat Taylor Rehmet flipped Texas state Senate District 9, which President Trump carried by 17 points in November 2024.

Just how badly did Republicans do in two Texas special elections over the weekend? Not as badly as apocalyptic headlines in left-leaning outlets would suggest — but badly enough that Republicans nationwide have to learn some searing lessons.

Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s victory over Republican Leigh Wambsganss flipped a district that President Donald Trump won by 17 points just two years ago, a swing that caught many observers off guard.

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

With Texas’ hardline conservative megadonors largely staying on the sidelines, a handful of House primaries have become battlegrounds for the state’s civil justice debate.