Democrats saw hope and a turning point in Taylor Rehmer‘s victory over Republican candidate Leigh Wambsganss in a special election for Texas’s District 9 Senate seat this weekend.
Democrats portrayed the win as a referendum on the Trump administration and a harbinger of a potential midterm blue wave, especially given that the upset took place in a suburban district including Fort Worth that Trump carried by 17 points in the last election.
Also fueling the Democratic optimism was that Wambsganss had received Trump’s endorsement, a factor that has more often than not ensured victory in conservative heartland districts. Yet asked about the results of the race, Trump said he didn’t know anything about it — “I don’t know. I didn’t hear about it. Somebody ran, where?”
Reporter: “In Texas.”
Trump: “I’m not involved in that. That’s a local Texas race.”
He endorsed the republican. https://t.co/vzY1d5wgP3
— celia (@_celia_bedelia_) February 1, 2026
For his response, Trump is facing criticism among those inclined to take the President at his word for seeming to forget his role in the election, including having endorsed Wambsganss days earlier in an effusive Truth Social post.
Those less inclined to believe Trump’s denial accused the President of lying outright when he said he didn’t know about the results, disassociating himself from the losing candidate, whose name he did not mention during the exchange — “This person lost?” he inquired.
Lawfare editor Eric Columbus was among those who shared screenshots of Trump’s endorsements and commentary on the race, in which he encouraged GOP turnout and called Wambsganss a “GREAT Candidate” who had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”
“I don’t know anything about it” says the guy who posted 3x about it on Friday and Saturday https://t.co/TbmGNZdbmf pic.twitter.com/HC4T5qNrxu
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) February 1, 2026