{"id":2567713,"date":"2026-02-08T16:26:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T21:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-continue-upset-streak-in-louisiana-special-election\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T16:29:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T21:29:02","slug":"democrats-continue-upset-streak-in-louisiana-special-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-continue-upset-streak-in-louisiana-special-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats continue upset streak in Louisiana special election"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-continue-upset-streak-in-louisiana-special-election%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2567713&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Democrats are continuing to pull off upset victories in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-bald-weirdos-to-play-outsized-role-in-2022-election\/\" title=\"Analysis: Bald Weirdos To Play Outsized Role in 2022 ...\">state-level races<\/a> in districts that backed Donald Trump in 2024. In Louisiana, Chasity Verret Martinez defeated Republican Brad Daigle by 24 points in House District 60, a 37-point swing from Trump\u2019s win in 2024. In Texas, Taylor Rehmet won Senate District 9 by 14 points, a 31-point swing in 15 months and in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/west-virginia-lawmaker-leaves-democrat-party-for-gop\/\" title=\"West Virginia Lawmaker Leaves Democrat Party for GOP\">district previously held<\/a> by a Republican; GOP reactions were mixed, with some <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >officials insisting turnout remains unpredictable<\/a>. In Iowa, Renee Hardman captured Senate District 16 by a large margin, a move that prevents Republicans from reclaiming a two-thirds Senate majority and marks her as the first Black woman elected to the Iowa Senate. In Kentucky, Gary Clemons won Senate district 37 by 47 points, outpacing the top of the Democratic ticket by 42 points and signaling momentum for Democrats as all Kentucky House seats and several senate seats are up for grabs. The article frames these results as local indicators of Democratic overperformance ahead of broader midterm electoral battles, even as Trump\u2019s overall national margin remains a factor.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democrats continue upset streak in Trump districts with Louisiana special election blowout<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2497261\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-party\/\">Democratic Party<\/a> is maintaining its winning streak in some state-level legislative districts won by President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> in 2024, with the latest overwhelming Democratic victory coming in a local <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/louisiana\/\">Louisiana<\/a> special election.<\/p>\n<p>Democratic candidate Chasity Verret Martinez <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/votehub\/status\/2020335495243567520?s=46&amp;t=WCjN9b0p46x4JtDWW5vQBw\">handily defeated<\/a> Republican opponent Brad Daigle by 24 points on Saturday after Trump last won the Louisiana House District 60 by 13 points. Martinez&rsquo;s win represents a 37-point shift to the left.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4449079\/redistrict-court-battles-where-things-stand\/\">Redistricting court battles: Where things stand<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4450113\/karen-bass-progressive-bid-replace-los-angeles-mayor\/\">Progressive Bass ally launches bid to replace embattled Los Angeles mayor<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4449216\/trump-deportations-hurt-not-help-gop-political-math\/\">Trump&#8217;s deportations may hurt, not help, GOP&#8217;s political math<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Despite Trump&rsquo;s past three victories in the district, the local seat was held by a Democrat before Martinez. Former state Rep. Chad Brown vacated the seat to fulfill an appointment made by Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) at the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4448073\/american-cultural-rebound\/\">HUGO GURDON: AMERICAN DECLINE, OR A REBOUND?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While the special election has no effect at the national level, its results are good news for Democrats as they aim to wrest control of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house\/\">House<\/a> from Republicans in this year&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/midterm-elections\/\">midterm elections<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Other state-level races have seen similarly big swings in favor of Democrats.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rehmet-in-texas\">Rehmet in Texas<\/h2>\n<p>In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/texas\/\">Texas<\/a> last weekend, Democrat Taylor Rehmet <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4442237\/democrat-taylor-rehmet-texas-state-senate-seat\/\">won the special election<\/a> for Texas Senate District 9 in the Fort Worth area by outperforming Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Leigh Wambsganss. Rehmet won by 14 points compared to Trump&rsquo;s 17 points &mdash; a 31-point swing in just 15 months.<\/p>\n<p>The results were also notable not only because of Trump&rsquo;s sweeping win there but because the district was previously held by a Republican. Texas Senate District 9 has historically been a red stronghold, but that doesn&rsquo;t appear to be the case anymore after Rehmet&rsquo;s upset victory.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-national-committee\/\">Democratic National Committee<\/a> Chairman Ken Martin personally boasted about the outcome of that particular election.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s clear as day that this disastrous Republican agenda is hurting working families in Texas and across the country, which is why voters in red, blue, and purple districts are putting their faith in candidates like Taylor Rehmet,&rdquo; Martin said. &ldquo;This victory is a warning sign to Republicans across the country. In a Trump +17 district, Republicans had to go all out and still lost this race.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/entertainment\/4443220\/kid-rock-headlining-turning-point-usa-alternative-super-bowl-halftime-show\/\">KID ROCK HEADLINING TURNING POINT USA&rsquo;S ALTERNATIVE SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOW<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Trump said he was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4442367\/trump-texas-special-election-endorsement\/\">not involved<\/a> in the race despite his endorsement of Wambsganss. Although hopeful, other Republicans did not follow the president&rsquo;s lead in downplaying their loss.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; Texas Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DanPatrick\/status\/2017858075932217719\">said on X<\/a>. &ldquo;I know the energy and strength the Republican grassroots in Texas possess. We will come out fighting with a new resolve, and we will take this seat back in November. We will keep Texas red.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hardman-in-iowa\">Hardman in Iowa<\/h2>\n<p>Iowa state Sen. Renee Hardman&rsquo;s performance in a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4375305\/democrat-hardman-iowa-senate-special-election\/\">December special election<\/a> for Iowa Senate District 16 was also significant because it blocked Republicans from regaining a two-thirds supermajority in the state&rsquo;s upper chamber. Iowa Republicans now need at least one Democratic vote to confirm Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kim-reynolds\/\">Kim Reynolds&rsquo;s<\/a> (R-IA) nominees to state agencies, boards, and commissions.<\/p>\n<p>Hardman&rsquo;s win was decisive, landing roughly 43 points over Republican Lucas Loftin once all the votes were counted.<\/p>\n<p>The DNC congratulated Hardman on her &ldquo;historic&rdquo; win as the first black woman ever elected to the Iowa Senate while celebrating 2025 as the &ldquo;year of Democratic victories and overperformance.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Now represented by Hardman, the district saw former Vice President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\">Kamala Harris<\/a> hold a 17-point lead over Trump in 2024. Nonetheless, Trump still won Iowa overall by a 13-point margin.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-clemons-in-kentucky\">Clemons in Kentucky<\/h2>\n<p>Earlier in December, Kentucky Democratic state Sen. Gary Clemons had a 47-point landslide victory over Republican Calvin Leach in the Kentucky Senate District 37 &mdash; one that Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-beshear\/\">Andy Beshear<\/a> (D-KY) heralded as a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3924264\/andy-beshear-state-senate-results-proof-democrats-overperforming\/\">sign of overperformance<\/a> for Democrats.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee similarly hailed Clemons&rsquo;s performance in the race at the time as signaling &ldquo;momentum&rdquo; for the party heading into the midterm elections.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4440441\/trump-gop-wake-up-call-texas-state-senate-election-loss\/\">TRUMP AND GOP FACE &lsquo;WAKE-UP CALL&rsquo; OVER TEXAS STATE SENATE ELECTION LOSS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Clemons also notably outperformed the top of the party&rsquo;s 2024 ticket held by Harris by 42 points, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/kentucky-democrat-wins-special-election-by-47-point-landslide-overperforms-top-of-2024-ticket-by-42-points\/\">according to<\/a> the DNC.<\/p>\n<p>Though the seat was previously held by a Democrat before Clemons, it is just one of seven controlled by Democrats in the 38-seat Kentucky Senate. Republicans have a controlling supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature. Democrats are looking to make gains at the state level this year, as all 100 seats in the Kentucky House and 19 seats in the Kentucky Senate are up for grabs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats extend upset streak in Trump districts LA win<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2567714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26013051751720.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[3685,6571,6100,5894,73329],"class_list":["post-2567713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-democrats","tag-elections","tag-louisiana","tag-politics","tag-upsets"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26013051751720.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2567713"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2567717,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2567713\/revisions\/2567717"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2567714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2567713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2567713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2567713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}