The possibility of Texas casino expansion and sports betting legalization took a turn for the worse. A casino-backed Republican candidate for the state senate missed out on a runoff in a Dallas-Fort Worth area special election.
John Huffman, the former mayor of Southlake, was edged out by Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss. The two candidates head for a runoff in the special election to fill a vacant seat in Tarrant County, following the resignation of Sen. Kelly Hancock.
Third-Place Finisher Backed By Las Vegas Sands
Las Vegas Sands owner Miriam Adelson funded Huffman’s campaign, giving him a treasury larger than any of his opposition. Adelson and her company gave Huffman $3.5 million towards his election efforts. She has long sought to build a casino in the Lone Star State.
Las Vegas Sands’ efforts to bring a casino to Texas date back to Sheldon Adelson’s tenure as the company’s leader. In 2020, shortly before he passed away, Adelson sent lobbyists to Austin to sway lawmakers on the issue.
After failed attempts at gambling expansion, Las Vegas Sands purchased a controlling stake in the Dallas Mavericks in 2024. Adelson purchased the stake with hopes of constructing a new arena adjacent to a Dallas-area casino.
However, those plans never materialized. Thus, the company began backing specific candidates in hopes of getting the job done.
But according to a report from the Texas Tribune, Huffman’s campaign didn’t focus on gambling nor was the issue a source of contention for the candidates.
Huffman favored allowing Texans to vote on a Constitutional amendment regarding expanded gambling, which is necessary to move legislation forward. The former Southlake Mayor chose to focus mostly on property tax cuts.
Wambsganss holds very similar views to Huffman, but opposes casino legalization.
Thus, she’s in line with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a vocal opponent of casino legalization. In Texas, lieutenant governors wield considerable power, presiding over the state senate and setting the agenda of what the legislative body considers.
Runoff Election Features Gambling Opponent
Rehmet garnered 47.6% of the vote, while Wambsganss garnered 36% and Huffman taking the remaining 16%. Now, Gov. Greg Abbott will set a date for the runoff with Wambsganss as the favorite to win the race.
The seat became vacant after Hancock left the position to become the acting Texas comptroller of public accounts. The open senate seat covers much of Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Keller, Southlake, and other cities.
While gambling bills have passed in the House over the last few years, Patrick consistently said there wasn’t enough support in the Senate for a vote to pass. As a result, he blocked gambling bills hoping to reach the senate floor.
“I might have three or four senators out of 20 Republicans who support. That’s it,” Patrick said about gambling-related bills in 2024. “They say ‘Oh, we almost passed it last session.’ You know, they almost passed it with every Democrat voting for it and about one of four Republicans voting for it. We don’t do that in the Senate.”
