Abbott Leads O'Rourke by 9 Points in Texas Governor Race: Poll (Newsmax)
By Charlie McCarthy | Monday, 19 September 2022 02:56 PM EDT
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, has opened a 9-point lead over Democrat challenger Beto O'Rourke, according to a new poll.
Abbott, seeking a third term, received 47% support while O'Rourke got 38% in The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler survey released Monday.
The poll results mean that Abbott increased his lead by 2 percentage points since last month's poll.
The latest Morning News/Tyler survey found that O'Rourke holds a 1-point lead over Abbott with independent voters in a race the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates as "likely Republican."
A total of 40% of the poll's respondents said they considered themselves Republican; 33% said they were Democrats; and 27% said they belonged to neither major party.
The latest survey found that Abbott holds a slight lead (44%-42%) among women, and a 10-point lead among parents.
Half of the Morning News/Tyler survey respondents said they approved of Abbott's job performance as governor, with 25% indicating they strongly approve. A total of 47% disapprove, with 34% saying they strongly disapprove of the governor's job performance.
The poll results showed that 54% indicated support for Abbott's busing of illegal migrants specifically to Washington, D.C. Only 29% said they opposed the governor's action, with another 16% saying they didn't know.
Regarding immigration along the southern border overall, 52% said they approve of Abbott's handling of the issue. Among independents, 47% disapprove and 35% approve.
Asked if Texas were headed in the right direction or whether things are on the wrong track, 54% said the wrong track, 44% said the right direction, and 2% said neither.
Voters were asked their impressions of Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, neither of whom is running for reelection this year. The results:
- Cornyn — 37% favorable, 33% unfavorable, 10% neither, 20% didn't know.
- Cruz — 43% favorable, 46% unfavorable, 3% neither, 7% didn't know.
As for former President Donald Trump, 45% have a favorable impression and 50% said they have an unfavorable impression, including 39% with a very unfavorable impression.
The Morning News/Tyler survey poll was conducted Sept. 6-13 and included interviews with 1,268 registered Texas voters. The margin error is 2.9 percentage points.
Abbott's campaign spent $4.3 million to broadcast two television ads across the state in August, timing his general election push to coincide with back-to-school season, the Morning News reported.
In contrast, O'Rourke only spent roughly $40,000 for limited airings in August, according to AdImpact.