Donald Trump’s social media rants have often suggested that he does not take losing very well. The same pattern appeared again Sunday morning, when the U.S. president posted three times in just seven minutes after Democrat Taylor Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss in the Fort Worth district by more than 14 percentage points, flipping a heavily Republican Texas district.
Trump took to social media by sharing screenshots from various allies who had previously praised his leadership. It is worth noting that one of the posted screenshots came from a convicted felon, which did not appear to concern the president.
While Rehmet’s victory appeared to rattle Trump, it was not the only Democratic win this week. On Saturday, Democrat Christian Menefee secured a victory in Harris County. The outcome further affects the Republicans’ already slim House majority, and the string of Democratic wins in recent special elections presents challenges for the GOP heading into the November midterm elections.
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Menefee outlined his priorities following the win, saying, “The results here tonight are a mandate for me to work as hard as I can to oppose your agenda, to fight back against where you’re taking this country and to investigate your crimes.”
Speaking about his victory, Rehmet said, “This isn’t red versus blue; this is right versus wrong. This is about public school funding. This is about helping working folks. This is about lowering costs. This is about everyday folks. The results are testament to the hard work that we’ve put in as a community here. This goes above partisan lines. Again, we can talk about partisanship all we want. I was focused on unity, bringing people together. We’re all Texans. We all want to look out for each other.”
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin also commented on the victory, saying, “It’s clear as day that this disastrous Republican agenda is hurting working families in Texas and across the country, which is why voters in red, blue, and purple districts are putting their faith in candidates like Taylor Rehmet.”
Martin added, “This victory is a warning sign to Republicans across the country. Tonight’s results prove that no Republican seat is safe. From now until November, Democrats are keeping our foot on the gas and organizing and competing everywhere, including in Texas and the rest of the Sun Belt.”
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Republican Leigh Wambsganss offered his insight into the disastrous results, saying, “Tonight is a wakeup call for Republicans in Tarrant County, Texas, and the nation. The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home.”
He added, “I have spoken with Mr. Rehmet by phone and congratulated him on tonight’s showing. Mr. Rehmet and I will face each other again in November, and I fully expect the results to be different.”
The results suggest that Trump’s repeated encouragement to his supporters to vote for Wambsganss did not have the intended impact, as turnout remained low and Democrats still managed to win the seats.
The president’s immigration policies and the continued rise in everyday prices appear to have affected Republican voter support, with murmurs of disappointment emerging even among the MAGA base regarding Trump’s handling of these issues. As Democrats continue to perform well in special elections, attention is now turning to the midterm elections and how the results may shape the future for both parties.
