• Las Vegas Sands suffered another lobbying defeat in Texas on Election Day
• Sands backed Republican John Huffman, who placed third in the Senate District 9 race

The New York City mayoral and Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections headlined Tuesday night’s results, but a race in Texas critical to the possibility of casinos coming to the Lone Star State was too close to call.

Texas Senate candidate John Huffman takes a selfie with supporters on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025. Huffman, funded by Las Vegas Sands, was defeated by his Republican and Democratic opponents. (Image: X)

Texas’ Senate District 9 represents almost one million people in the Fort Worth area. The seat became vacant in June after Kelly Hancock resigned to become chief clerk of the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

The two Republicans squared off against Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a union leader and veteran who pledged to improve workers’ rights and public education.

Sands Bet Busts

Las Vegas Sands, the casino empire of the late billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who built The Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Strip, has for years sought entry into Texas. The company continues to lobby heavily in the country’s second most populated state.

Wambsganss is on record saying “gambling has a negative impact on families and has a detrimental effect on the community as a whole.”

It appears Sands’ bet was a bust. With the votes counted and no candidate reaching the needed 50% threshold, a runoff will be held on December 13. Huffman, however, won’t be on the ballot.

The runoff will instead include only Wambsganss and Rehmet. Wambsganss garnered about 36% of Tuesday’s vote, while Rehmet gained about 47.5%. Huffman accounted for only 16.5% of the votes.

Since no candidate secured 50%, a runoff between the two top vote-getters will be held. About 223K residents in Tarrant County voted, less than 18% of the eligible electorate.

Last night’s results were not what we hoped for. I am deeply grateful for everyone who supported our campaign and shared our vision,” Huffman said. “One thing is clear. Democrats had a strong night both nationally and here at home. If we are going to keep Texas strong, Republicans must stay focused on what matters most: doing everything we can to improve the lives of the families and businesses of the folks we were elected to serve.”

Rehmet raised only $120K to fund his campaign. That’s compared to Huffman’s $1.35 million and Wambsganss’ $1.6 million war chests. 

Casino Setback 

Though a single lawmaker won’t ultimately decide the fate of casinos in Texas, Huffman’s defeat is nonetheless another setback for Sands.

The casino company’s largest shareholder, Dr. Miriam Adelson, became the controlling owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks in late 2023. Many viewed Adelson’s purchase of the pro basketball team as part of her decades-long ploy to bring Las Vegas to Texas.

Texas is currently home to a state-run lottery, tribal casinos that only offer bingo-based games, charitable games of chance, and parimutuel wagering.

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