Abbott Calls Special Election for Texas Senate District 9

Governor Greg Abbott (R) scheduled a special election for Nov. 4 to fill the Texas Senate seat left vacant by Republican Kelly Hancock, who resigned earlier this month to serve as the state’s acting comptroller. The election will coincide with the state's uniform election date, during which voters will also weigh in on 17 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution and various local contests.

Among the first to declare her candidacy for the Fort Worth-area seat was conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss. In announcing her campaign Friday, Wambsganss positioned herself as an outsider and staunch conservative.

“I am not a career politician,” she said. “I’m a battle-tested conservative who gets results.”

Leigh Wambsganss has long been active in Republican politics, serving on the Tarrant County GOP executive committee and previously working as a congressional staffer. She also leads Patriot Mobile Action, a political action committee that backed conservative school board candidates across North Texas in 2022.

“I have spent decades on the front lines of the conservative movement—leading one of the most impactful campaigns against Critical Race Theory in the country,” she said. “Working alongside Republican leaders during the Republican Revolution of the 1990s and consistently standing firm for pro-life and pro-2nd Amendment values.”

Her bid was quickly endorsed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R), who called her a “great addition to our conservative Texas Senate.” Patrick, who presides over the Senate, has often wielded significant influence in GOP primaries and legislative affairs.

Wambsganss’s entry into the race prompted Rep. Nate Schatzline (R), to end his own campaign and throw his support behind her. Schatzline, a freshman member of the Texas House, announced his endorsement shortly after Wambsganss’s launch.

The race for Senate District 9—an area with deep conservative roots—will likely draw more GOP hopefuls ahead of the filing deadline. The filing deadline for candidates is Sept. 3, with early voting beginning Oct. 20.

The winner will serve the remainder of Hancock’s term.