Who is running for Texas Senate, District 9 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for Texas Senate, District 9 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in Texas Senate District 9.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Taylor RehmetDemocrat | Leigh WambsganssRepublican |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | No public position | Illegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestSaid · low |
| Guns | No public position | Remove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightSaid · medium |
| Immigration | No single answer fits; see evidence | Secure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadySaid · medium |
| Energy and climate | No public position | All of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickSaid · medium |
| AI data centers | Pause new approvals until the state finishes studying power and water impactsSaid · medium | Pause new approvals until the state finishes studying power and water impactsSaid · medium |
| School choice | No, keep public money in traditional public schoolsSaid · medium | Yes, universal school choice for every familySaid · medium |
| Property taxes | Keep cutting them and cap how fast they can riseSaid · medium | Eliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state moneySaid · medium |
| Policing and crime | Fund police and add reforms like body cameras and use-of-force limitsSaid · medium | Tougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailSaid · medium |
| Marijuana | Legalize and regulate it like alcoholQuestionnaire answer · low | Medical use onlyQuestionnaire answer · low |
| Childcare and pre-K | Target free pre-K and subsidies to low-income and priority familiesSaid · low | No public position |
| AI regulation | Let each state write its own targeted AI rulesSaid · medium | No public position |
| Transgender athletes | No public position | No, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsSaid · medium |
Taylor Rehmet
Democrat · IncumbentState Senator, Texas Senate District 9
Taylor Rehmet is a Democrat and U.S. Air Force veteran who worked as a machinist building F-35s and served as a union president with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers2. He won a January 31, 2026 special runoff for Senate District 9 and took office on February 19, 2026, filling the rest of former Sen. Kelly Hancock's term1. He is running against Republican Leigh Wambsganss for a full four-year term16.
Where they stand 9 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
AI data centersPause new approvals until the state finishes studying power and water impactsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign says he supports a moratorium on new AI data centers until the Legislature sets clear guidelines, and wants communities to have the final say on whether they are built. (2026-09) source
- Told the Fort Worth Report he supports requiring data center developers to provide their own power to connect to the grid, after earlier saying he backs a statewide moratorium. (2026-09) source
School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium
Property taxesKeep cutting them and cap how fast they can risemedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign says he supports capping appraisal spikes, expanding exemptions for veterans and seniors, and increasing the state's share of school funding to reduce reliance on property taxes. (2026-09) source
- His agenda calls for significant homeowner property tax relief by increasing the state's share of public education funding. (2026-09) source
Policing and crimeFund police and add reforms like body cameras and use-of-force limitsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign says he supports law enforcement staffing, training and resources, stronger mental health and addiction treatment, crime prevention programs, and high professional standards for officers. (2026-09) source
AI regulationLet each state write its own targeted AI rulesmedium
Said · medium confidence- His agenda calls for state safeguards against using artificial intelligence and algorithms to set or raise prices for health insurance and housing. (2026-09) source
MarijuanaLegalize and regulate it like alcohollow
Questionnaire answer · low confidenceChildcare and pre-KTarget free pre-K and subsidies to low-income and priority familieslow
Said · low confidence- His agenda proposes a per diem childcare subsidy for family caregivers who watch children while a parent looks for work. (2026-09) source
ImmigrationNo single answer fitsmedium
Said · medium confidenceTerm limitsNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Asked by The Texan whether he would impose a term limit on himself, said yes and that he would introduce legislation to make term limits the law. (2025-08) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Energy and climate, Texas power grid, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Paid leave, Student loans, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Leigh Wambsganss
RepublicanPrivate citizen (chief communications officer, Patriot Mobile)
Leigh Wambsganss is a Republican and the chief communications officer of Patriot Mobile, a Grapevine-based Christian conservative wireless company15. A longtime conservative activist, she led the company's political action committee, Patriot Mobile Action, when it backed conservative school board candidates in North Texas in 20225. She lost the January 2026 special runoff for this seat to Taylor Rehmet and is running again for the full term1.
Where they stand 11 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Property taxesEliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state moneymedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says she supports increasing the homestead exemption and expanding compression on the road to abolishing school property taxes while maintaining school funding. (2026-09) source
- Told The Texan she supports increasing the homestead exemption and expanding compression on the road to abolishing school property taxes while maintaining school funding. (2025-08) source
AI data centersPause new approvals until the state finishes studying power and water impactsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Told the Fort Worth Report she supports a statewide moratorium on data center development and requiring developers to provide their own power. (2026-09) source
- Her campaign calls for ending tax incentives for data centers, making them pay their own water and electric costs, and letting local communities decide how close they can be built to homes. (2026-09) source
GunsRemove most restrictions; bearing arms is a rightmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign cites a law banning red flag laws as a victory and says she will make expanding civil liability protections for gun owners a priority. (2026-09) source
Transgender athletesNo, teams should be based on biological sex, with open or coed optionsmedium
School choiceYes, universal school choice for every familymedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says every parent has a right to make educational choices and that the recent school choice legislation offers additional opportunities for educational freedom, while also calling for fully funded public schools. (2026-09) source
ImmigrationSecure the border first; deport those with criminal records; keep legal immigration steadymedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says she advocated for Tarrant County's adoption and implementation of the 287(g) program with federal immigration authorities. (2026-09) source
- Told The Texan she has been a strong supporter of Operation Lone Star and will fight to keep the border strong. (2025-08) source
- Told the Fort Worth Report she wants stronger collaboration between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. (2026-09) source
Policing and crimeTougher sentences, more police funding, and stricter bailmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says she will lead the charge for bail reform to keep violent, repeat offenders behind bars and will give law enforcement the equipment and training they need. (2026-09) source
Energy and climateAll of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her campaign says oil and gas remain key to Texas, renewables have a place and nuclear will be important, but all energy production must stand without government subsidies. (2026-09) source
MarijuanaMedical use onlylow
Questionnaire answer · low confidence- Told the Star-Telegram that THC should be available to those who can benefit from it under a physician's care, not on every street corner. (2025) source
- Told The Texan that synthetic THC is a danger to Texans and that adult consumption should be a matter between a person and their physician. (2025-08) source
AbortionIllegal, except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incestlow
Said · low confidence- Her campaign says she will be a voice for the voiceless protecting innocent life and will remove barriers so private groups can help women facing crisis pregnancies. (2026-09) source
- Told The Dallas Express in an interview that making sure Texas abortion pill laws are strong would be one of her first priorities. (2025-10-20) source
Term limitsNo single answer fitsmedium
Questionnaire answer · medium confidence- Asked by The Texan whether she would impose a term limit on herself, said she supports the ideals of term limits and would welcome them for the whole Legislature, but would not limit herself alone. (2025-08) source
No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Texas power grid, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-19. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.