DTX-KRN: Extra Edition 11/4/2025

Posted 7:00 p.m., Nov. 4
Tarrant County released early voting totals for Senate District 9.

Democrat Taylor Rehmet holds a lead over Southlake residents Leigh Wambsganss and John Huffman, both Republicans.

What you need to know: Rehmet, an Air Force veteran and now an aircraft mechanic, received 28,742 or 44.4%, in early voting.

Wambsganss, the chief communications officer for Patriot Mobile, has garnered 26,167 votes, or 40.1%. Huffman, the former Southlake Mayor, has 10,293 votes, or 15.7%.

The background: The special election was called to fill the spot vacated when Sen. Kelly Hancock resigned to take a position with the state comptroller’s office as acting comptroller.

The winner will serve the remainder of Hancock’s term, through the end of 2026. Hancock served as both a representative and senator since 2007, according to previous reporting.

Counties have released early voting totals for elections including Northwest ISD’s voter-approved tax rate election, or VATRE.

Early results are favorable for a new tax rate, which would generate about $12 million in additional revenue for the district for the 2025-26 school year.

What you need to know: This is the second consecutive year NISD has called a tax-rate election. This election comes after the district eliminated more than 100 teaching positions and maximized staffing ratios to mitigate a projected $16 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Texas voters weighed in on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution during the Nov. 4 election.

The overview: Some of the state propositions on the ballot included:

• Proposition 1: new funding to support the Texas State Technical College System
• Proposition 3: tighter restrictions on when Texas judges can grant bail for felony offenses
• Proposition 4: $20 billion for water supply projects and infrastructure
• Proposition 9: a $125,000 property tax exemption for businesses
• Propositions 11 and 13: expanded property tax exemptions for Texas homeowners
• Proposition 14: $3 billion to create a state dementia research institute