Published on: November 5, 2025, 09:48h.
Updated on: November 5, 2025, 09:48h.
- Las Vegas Sands faced another lobbying setback in Texas on Election Day
- Sands supported Republican John Huffman, who finished third in the Senate District 9 election
The New York City mayoral race and the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections dominated the headlines last night, but a critical race in Texas for potential casino legalization remained too close to call.
Senate District 9 in Texas covers nearly one million residents in the Fort Worth area. The position became open in June when Kelly Hancock resigned to accept the role of chief clerk for the Texas Comptroller’s Office.
Republican John Huffman, who identifies as a “true fiscal conservative” and previously served as mayor and city councilor in Fort Worth, campaigned on promises to lower taxes and deregulate business. His main opponent was fellow Republican Leigh Wambsganss, a former local news anchor and real estate agent, advocating for property tax reform and public safety.
The two Republicans faced off against Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a union leader and veteran focused on enhancing workers’ rights and education.
Sands’ Losses
Las Vegas Sands, established by the late billionaire Sheldon Adelson, has long sought to expand into Texas. The firm continues extensive lobbying efforts in the nation’s second-most populous state.
Sands invested $500K in Huffman’s campaign, believing he would effectively advocate for the company’s objectives in Austin to authorize integrated resort casinos. Huffman had indicated that the decision should be up to Texas voters rather than lawmakers.
Wambsganss, on the record, stated that “gambling negatively affects families and has a harmful impact on the community collectively.”
It seems Sands’ gamble did not pay off. With all ballots tallied and no candidate achieving the necessary 50% threshold, a runoff is slated for December 13. Unfortunately for Huffman, he will not be a contender.
The upcoming runoff will feature only Wambsganss and Rehmet. Wambsganss attracted approximately 36% of the votes, while Rehmet earned around 47.5%. Huffman received just 16.5% of the total votes.
Since no candidate reached the 50% benchmark, the two leading candidates will face off again. Roughly 223K residents in Tarrant County cast votes, accounting for less than 18% of eligible voters.
“The results were not what we anticipated. I sincerely appreciate everyone who backed our campaign and shared our vision,” Huffman commented. “It’s evident that Democrats had a strong night both nationally and locally. To keep Texas thriving, Republicans must concentrate on improving the lives of families and businesses that elected us.”
Rehmet raised a modest $120K for his campaign, in stark contrast to Huffman’s $1.35 million and Wambsganss’ $1.6 million funding.
Casino Challenges
While the outcome of a single lawmaker may not determine the future of casinos in Texas, Huffman’s loss represents another hurdle for Sands.
Dr. Miriam Adelson, the casino company’s largest shareholder, became the controlling owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks in late 2023. Many observers interpreted Adelson’s acquisition of the basketball franchise as a strategic move to integrate Las Vegas-style entertainment in Texas.
Adelson and her co-owner of the Mavericks, billionaire Mark Cuban, have hinted at the possibility of constructing an integrated resort casino alongside a new NBA venue in the Dallas region.
As it stands, Texas features a state-operated lottery, tribal casinos with limited bingo games, charitable gambling opportunities, and parimutuel betting.