How Texas Flipped Blue-Curious

The Lincoln Project

News Commentary, News, Government, Politics

4.6 • 9.1K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, Rick Wilson is joined by Taylor Rehmet to break down one of the most important political upsets in Texas in years: a historic Texas State Senate special election win that flipped a deep-red seat by doing something radical in modern politics—talking to people like human beings. Rehmet walks through a community-first, common-sense campaign built on knocking doors, rejecting corporate cash, focusing on affordability, public education, property taxes, and showing up in real life instead of chasing culture-war nonsense online. Rick dissects why this ground-game-driven Democratic victory in Texas matters far beyond one district, how it exposes the weakness of MAGA politics when voters are treated with respect, and why this race is a blueprint for winning swing and red districts heading into the 2026 midterms. If you want to know how Democrats flip seats, rebuild trust, and start winning again—this is the playbook.
•
•
•
•
•
Taylor Rehmet is on X @TaylorRehmetTX,
and you can find him at his website www.taylorfortx.com.

Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com. You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln.

Go to www.sundaysfordogs.com/lincoln50 OR use code “LINCOLN50,” for 50% off your first order. #ad

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	I'm like a hopeless, optimistic.
0:03.3	Like, I really, it's, it's, I'm delusional at some point.
0:06.5	And so, uh, I said, well, uh, I got to try.
0:10.2	And I, I really think I can do it.
0:11.9	Your task will not be an easy one.
0:14.2	Your enemy is well trained, well equipped in battlehardt.
0:17.6	There is not a liberal America and a conservative America.
0:21.8	There is the United States of America.
0:26.6	Good night and good luck.
0:28.9	Hey, folks.
0:29.4	Welcome back to the Lincoln Project podcast.
0:30.9	I am your host, as always, Rick Wilson, and I am delighted to have you with us today.
0:34.0	We have been a long run in this country of a lot of crazy news. But I'm so happy
0:41.4	today to have Taylor Remint on the show. He is the recent winner of the special election in the
0:46.2	Texas Senate District 9. And you're thinking, why is the Lincoln Project covering a show
0:50.4	about the Texas Senate race? Well, first off, folks, he blew the doors off in a Republican
0:56.6	district and a red district and a red state by running a fantastic, one of the best campaigns
1:02.0	we've watched. And, you know, campaigns, folks, interestingly, are all the same. Whether it's for
1:07.4	dog catcher or U.S. Senate, you got to connect with people. You got to talk to them about what really matters in their lives.
1:13.8	And Taylor's campaign did just that. And that's why I'm really happy to have you on the show today, Taylor.
1:18.0	Appreciate you coming on. Tell us how you're feeling about having won this race.
1:22.5	Well, Rick, thank you so much for having me. I feel a deep sense of gratitude. I've served my country. I serve in my union,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Lincoln Project, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Lincoln Project and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.