Texas Progressives Celebrate Historic Senate Win as Far-Right Megadonors Stunned
In a remarkable political upset, Taylor Rehmet, a Democrat and local union leader, secured a runoff victory for a Texas state Senate seat last month, marking a significant shift in a district held by Republicans since 1992. This triumph has sent shockwaves through the Texas GOP, particularly as Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss despite having only one-tenth of the campaign funding. Much of Wambsganss's financial backing came from billionaire megadonors Tim Dunn and the Wilks brothers, whose Christian nationalist views have heavily influenced the state's Republican party.
Grassroots Organizing Fuels Democratic Upset
While Republicans attributed the loss to low voter turnout and pundits cited the Trump administration's unpopularity, local organizers in Fort Worth argue that grassroots efforts were pivotal. Alexander Montalvo, a longtime grassroots organizer in Tarrant County, highlights several instances where community advocacy has succeeded, such as pushback against school district splits and losses by Patriot Mobile-endorsed candidates in school board elections. Patriot Mobile, where Wambsganss serves as an executive, had previously gained influence in the area but now faces uncertainty after these setbacks.
Chris Tackett, who co-founded the organization See It. Name It. Fight It. with his wife Mendi, began tracking extremism in Texas politics a decade ago. Living in Granbury and later Fort Worth, he noticed state legislator Mike Lang's shift toward supporting public funds for private schools, despite campaigning as a public education advocate. Through research, Tackett uncovered Lang's substantial donations from the Wilks brothers and Dunn, leading to social media exposés and the creation of campaign finance pie charts that evolved into a broader anti-extremism movement.
Christian Nationalism and Local Resistance
Tarrant County, home to Fort Worth, is widely regarded as a hotbed for far-right activism and has been a testing ground for gerrymandering efforts. However, a growing coalition of progressives and anti-extremist organizers is challenging this dominance. The "817 Gather," a monthly meeting, brings together diverse residents—Black, brown, white, progressive, and some former Republicans—united by concerns over extremism. As Tackett explains, this movement transcends partisan lines, focusing on shared values like public education, bodily autonomy, and accessible voting.
Local institutions like Mercy Culture, a Fort Worth church affiliated with the political organization For Liberty & Justice, loom large in the Christian nationalist landscape. Wesley Kirk, a host of the 817 Pod, describes Mercy Culture as a political machine that organizes and endorses candidates, while former resident Chanin Scanlon bluntly labels it as Christian nationalism aimed at taking over institutions. The Tacketts have used social media to document Mercy Culture's influence, including sharing videos of Wambsganss on Steve Bannon's podcast and analyzing post-election Republican reactions.
Data Analysis Reveals Voter Dynamics
After Rehmet's victory, Chris Tackett delved into voter data to debunk the low turnout narrative. He found that turnout decreased across the board, undermining GOP claims that absent Republicans were to blame. Using voter score analysis, Tackett discovered that 57% of runoff voters—matching Rehmet's electoral share—were either true independents or Democratic-leaning voters who typically participate in Republican primaries due to Texas's deep-red political landscape. This suggests that Democrats, long forced into GOP primaries, finally had a compelling candidate to support.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor, agrees, noting that the Democratic party has mastered candidate recruitment by fielding authentic individuals who resonate with voters. Montalvo finds inspiration in Tackett's data, asserting that Tarrant County's diverse Democratic base, if properly invested in, holds the potential for future victories. This grassroots momentum, fueled by organizations like See It. Name It. Fight It. and local podcasts, underscores a broader shift in Texas politics as anti-extremist efforts gain traction against billionaire-backed influences.
