Texas bruising sends Republicans a message they’d better take to heart
By Daniel McCarthy
Published Feb. 2, 2026
Updated Feb. 2, 2026, 6:41 p.m. ET
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.
The GOP lost both races, but one was for a US House seat that’s been in Democrats’ hands for decades.
Christian Menefee’s victory narrows the GOP’s congressional majority only because that safely blue seat had been vacant since Rep. Sylvester Turner died last March.
The other contest, which yielded an upset, was for a Texas state senate seat that will be up for election again in November — before the legislature convenes.
In other words, the victorious Democrat, Taylor Rehmet, won’t get to vote on anything before Texans get another vote on him.
And the November race that really matters is certain to have stronger turnout than Saturday’s special election.
The trouble is, Rehmet didn’t just win — he won by more than 14 points in a red-leaning Ft. Worth-area district.
Democrats and much of the media converged on the same message: This was a district Donald Trump won by roughly 17 points in 2024; the swing away from the GOP was more than 30 points, a staggering humiliation that augurs a Republican wipeout in November.
But comparing presidential elections to state-senate elections — and a January special election, at that — is absurd.
more
https://nypost.com/2026/02/02/opinion/texas-bruising-sends-republicans-an-urgent-message/
