Nate Schatzline exits race for Texas Senate after new candidate announces her run
Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline is withdrawing his days-old candidacy for a state Senate seat after a conservative activist with ties to Patriot Mobile announced Friday that she intends to run.
Schatzline, a Fort Worth Republican, announced on June 27 that he is no longer running for Senate District 9. His exit comes as Republican Leigh Wambsganss enters the race.
The Senate seat is open after Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills resigned to become the Texas comptroller starting July 1. On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Nov. 4 will be the date for a special election in Senate District 9. The filing period ends Sept. 3.
Wambsganss is a political activist in North Texas who has served on the Tarrant County GOP executive committee for more than a decade, according to her campaign announcement. She is the chief communications officer for Patriot Mobile, according to her LinkedIn. The Christian conservative cell phone company's political action arm has worked to elect conservative candidates in North Texas school board races.
'I am announcing my campaign for Texas Senate, District 9, because this district deserves a proven conservative fighter,' Wambsganss said in a statement. '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, working alongside Republican leaders during the Republican Revolution of the 1990s, and consistently standing firm for pro-life and pro-2nd Amendment values. I am not a career politician—I'm a battle-tested conservative who gets results.'
Wambsganss has the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Schatzline announced his bid for the North Texas Senate seat on June 24. Instead, he will run for reelection in 2026 in House District 93. In a statement, Schatzline said the pivot came after 'prayerful consideration, conversations with my family, and an assessment of where I can be most effective.'
He threw his support behind Wambsganss in a social media post.
'I am officially announcing my re-election campaign for Texas House District 93!' Schatzline said. 'My #1 goal was for SD9 to be represented by a true conservative, & with Leigh Wambsganss, that's exactly what you'll get. She has my full support. Can't wait to fight for Faith, Family, & Freedom alongside you in Austin!'
Schatzline's Friday reelection announcement included an endorsement from Gov. Greg Abbott.
House District 93 in Tarrant County covers Blue Mound and Haslet, and includes parts of Fort Worth and Saginaw. Senate District 9 spans part of Tarrant County, including Hurst, Keller, North Richland Hills, White Settlement, Haltom City, Saginaw, Watuga, most of Southlake, and portions of portions of Fort Worth, Azle, Bedford, Benbrook and Arlington.
Taylor Rehmet, a Democrat from Fort Worth who works at Lockheed Martin, is also running for the open North Texas Senate seat.
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