North Texas voters and political analysts are digging into what drove a stunning special election upset in Tarrant County, where a Democrat flipped a Republican-held state Senate seat for the first time in more than three decades. Democrat Taylor Rehmet stunned North Texas, winning by double digi ts in a longtime GOP stronghold and turning almost every precinct more Democratic across Fort Worth, Southlake, Keller and North Richland Hills. New data shows Hispanic voters played a large role in that change. According to state data, the district is 29 percent Hispanic. Out of the Hispanic voters who showed up in the special election runoff, nearly 80 percent of them voted for the Democrat, Rehmet — a 26 percent increase from just two years ago. According to a data map compiled by the Texas Tribune, the neighborhoods with the highest numbers of Hispanic residents juiced up the turnout for Rehmet. “I think 15 to 20 years ago, people spoke about Hispanics as the sleeping giant. There’s no question that the sleeping giant is now awake and is actually the deciding vote,” said Jason Villalba from the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation. In 2024, President Trump made inroads with Latino voters, winning 55 percent of their vote in Texas. Villalba tells NBC 5 this proves Latinos may be a swing demographic for the foreseeable future. He explains that the continued affordability crisis and aggressive deportation tactics likely turned many Hispanic voters away from a party they supported just two years ago in Texas. “Hispanics are not beholden to any particular party. They don’t generally vote with the color of the jersey. They’re not tribal in that sense, but they do vote on the basis of kitchen table issues — issues that resonate with families,” said Villalba. “Hispanic voters are not leaving,” said Chair of the Texas GOP Abraham George, detailing a crowded town hall he visited in South Texas, encouraging his party’s chances. He tells NBC 5 he’s not worried about the Senate District 9 results, attributing it to Republican voters staying home. He does acknowledge that Hispanic voters will be key to winning power in Texas in the years ahead. “They’re very conservative when it comes to life issues. They’re very conservative when it comes to LGBTQ issues. They’re very conservative when it comes to fiscal policy,” said George. As we enter another intense election cycle, Latinos across North Texas may hold the power to make or break a candidate and a political party. ...read more read less