House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries ripped into Republicans Monday, declaring they “done eff’d up in Texas” as a special election shockwave rattled GOP confidence and supercharged the redistricting battle.
Jeffries sounded off during a Capitol Hill news conference after Democrats flipped a Texas state Senate seat in territory President Donald Trump carried in 2020, a result he framed as proof Republicans misread the political terrain.
Pressed on whether Democrats could seize multiple congressional seats under newly drawn Texas maps, Jeffries responded with confidence while predicting Republican ambitions would collapse well short of their goals.
“Yes, Republicans done eff’d up in Texas, and they know it,” Jeffries remarked, portraying the redistricting push as an overreach that backfired under voter scrutiny.
Jeffries argued GOP strategists never had a realistic path to gaining five congressional seats and instead gambled on weakening Democratic districts without provoking a counterpunch.
That assumption, he claimed, crumbled once Democrats responded elsewhere, pointing to California’s voter-approved Proposition 50 as a pressure point Republicans failed to anticipate.
“California responded decisively, and we will pick up five seats as a result of Prop. 50,” Jeffries asserted, casting the ballot measure as part of a broader national chess match.
Turning back to Texas, Jeffries predicted Republicans would struggle to gain even three congressional seats when performance from the 2024 cycle is factored in.
“They’re going to struggle to win three based on 2024 performance alone,” he added, projecting continued Democratic momentum.
That confidence followed Saturday’s upset victory by Democrat Taylor Rehmet in a Texas state Senate district long dominated by Republicans.
Rehmet defeated Republican Leigh Wambsganss by roughly 14 percentage points, collecting more than 13,000 additional votes in the Fort Worth-area district.
The race carried added attention because Wambsganss had been backed by President Trump, intensifying national focus on the outcome.
Rehmet, a labor union leader and Air Force veteran, reclaimed the seat for Democrats in a region that had reliably favored Republicans for years.
Jeffries praised the scale of the victory, framing it as a political warning shot that resonated beyond Texas.
“It was a shellacking for Republicans in Texas that even caught Ron DeSantis’ attention,” Jeffries argued, tying the result to broader GOP unease.
Special elections are quirky and not necessarily projectable re: a general election.
That said, a swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed. Republicans should be clear-eyed about the political environment heading into the midterms. https://t.co/KwX2m6wV6L
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) February 1, 2026
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis echoed that caution, warning Republicans not to brush off the outcome despite the quirks of special elections.
“Special elections are quirky and not necessarily projectable re: a general election,” DeSantis wrote on X, before acknowledging the size of the swing.
“That said, a swing of this magnitude is not something that can be dismissed,” he added, urging Republicans to assess the midterm landscape honestly.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also weighed in, branding the loss a “wake-up call for Republicans across Texas.”
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“Our voters cannot take anything for granted,” Patrick wrote, pledging a renewed push to reclaim the seat later this year.
Patrick insisted the party would regroup quickly, vowing, “We will come out fighting with a new resolve, and we will take this seat back in November. We will keep Texas red.”
Low turnout special elections are always unpredictable. The results from SD 9 are a wake-up call for Republicans across Texas. Our voters cannot take anything for granted.
I know the energy and strength the Republican grassroots in Texas possess. We will come out fighting with…
— Dan Patrick (@DanPatrick) February 1, 2026
Some Republicans offered different explanations for the defeat, focusing on conditions surrounding the vote rather than broader political shifts.
Rep. Pete Sessions blamed the loss on severe winter weather, arguing icy conditions suppressed turnout in north and central Texas.
“The success of a rain dance has a lot to do with timing,” Sessions said during an appearance on CNN, describing a snow and ice storm that struck the region.
Sessions acknowledged the warning signs raised by DeSantis while urging his party to sharpen its strategy.
“It is listening to the music and waking up and finding out we need to be better,” he said, calling the outcome a miscalculation on the ground.
Wambsganss echoed the turnout argument, telling supporters too many Republicans stayed home during the special election.
“The dynamics of a Special Election are fundamentally different from a November General Election,” she said in a statement released election night.
“I believe the voters of Senate District 9 and Tarrant County Republicans will answer the call in November,” Wambsganss added, predicting a reversal.
The two candidates are set for a rematch in November, when voters will decide who fills the seat for a full four-year term.
Outside Texas, Republicans openly voiced concern that the result signals deeper trouble.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer labeled the outcome a serious warning for the GOP during an online broadcast Monday.
“I’ve always said that special elections are special,” Spicer said, before recounting conversations with Texas officials who sounded alarms.
“One person’s direct quote was, ‘This is 8.5 on the Richter scale,’” Spicer relayed, calling the margin impossible to ignore.
Spicer cited comments from retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, arguing that conservative voices were also urging Republicans to confront the implications.
“This is a problem,” Spicer said, tying turnout patterns to broader voter enthusiasm concerns.
President Trump appeared to distance himself from the state Senate race shortly after the vote, telling reporters Sunday, “I’m not involved in that. That’s a local Texas race.”
Trump nonetheless signaled interest in Texas’ looming U.S. Senate contest, saying he would give a “very serious look” at endorsing a candidate.
That race pits Sen. John Cornyn against a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, while Democrats jockey for their own nomination.
Congratulations to my friend and our newest State Senator from Tarrant County, Taylor Rehmet! I met Taylor almost two years ago through Labor.
Don’t tell us what can’t be done in Texas. When we show up #TexasTough, we change the game. This is a seat no Democrat has held since… pic.twitter.com/Y69Ug460us
— Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) February 1, 2026
Democrats celebrated Rehmet’s victory as a milestone, with Rep. Jasmine Crockett noting the district had not elected a Democrat in 45 years.
“This isn’t the finish line — it’s only the beginning,” Crockett wrote on X, framing the win as part of a growing surge.
Momentum extended beyond the special election as Democrats marked additional developments in Texas politics.
State Rep. James Talarico, now a Democratic Senate candidate, addressed questions about Crockett’s statewide prospects during an appearance on “The View.”
Asked whether Crockett could win a statewide race, Talarico voiced full support for his primary rival.
“I have deep love and respect for her,” he said, promising to back her “1,000%” if she secures the nomination.
Democrats also welcomed Rep. Christian Menefee, who was sworn into Congress Monday after winning a special election runoff for the late Rep. Sylvester Turner’s seat.
Menefee noted the district had gone more than 330 days without representation, missing key votes on issues like SNAP benefits and Medicaid access.
“When this body took on important votes…this district had no voice in Congress,” Menefee said, describing his swearing-in as long overdue.
Turner died last March at age 70, leaving the seat vacant for nearly a year and adding another layer to Texas’ shifting political map.
