Some big news today out of Texas courtesy of Quinnipiac University’s latest poll:
The closely watched U.S. Senate race in Texas is too close to call, with 47 percent for Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz and 44 percent for U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, his Democratic challenger, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll released today.
There are wide party, gender, age and racial gaps, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN- uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds:
- O'Rourke gets 87 - 9 percent support from Democrats and 51 - 37 percent backing from independent voters, as Republicans go to Cruz 88 - 6 percent;
- Men back Cruz 51 - 40 percent, while women go 47 percent for O'Rourke and 43 percent for Cruz;
- Voters 18 to 34 years old go Democratic 50 - 34 percent, while voters over 65 years old go Republican 50 - 43 percent;
- White voters back Cruz 59 - 34 percent, as O'Rourke leads 78 - 18 percent among black voters and 51 - 33 percent among Hispanic voters.
Sen. Cruz gets lackluster grades, including a 47 - 45 percent job approval rating and a 46 - 44 percent favorability rating. O'Rourke gets a 30 - 16 percent favorability rating, but 53 percent of Texas voters don't know enough about him to form an opinion of him.
Texas voters "like Ted Cruz as a person" 47 - 38 percent. Voters "like Beto O'Rourke as a person" 40 - 13 percent with 47 percent undecided.
"Democrats have had a target on Sen. Ted Cruz's back, and they may be hitting the mark. Once expected to 'cruise' to reelection, the incumbent is in a tight race with Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.
"The key may well be independent voters. O'Rourke's 51 - 37 percent lead among that group is key to his standing today. But Texas remains a strong GOP state so O'Rourke will need the independent strength to pull the upset."
At 25 percent each, immigration and health care are the most important issues in their U.S. Senate vote, with 22 percent for the economy and 16 percent for gun policy.
Voters say Cruz would do a better job than O'Rourke on a number of issues:
- 51 - 35 percent that Cruz would do a better job on the economy;
- 49 - 36 percent for Cruz on taxes;
- 43 percent say Cruz would do a better job on health care, as 42 percent say O'Rourke would be better;
- 46 - 38 percent that Cruz would be better on immigration;
- 50 - 37 percent that Cruz would be better on gun policy.
Beto has a lot of opportunity to prove to voters he’s better on these issues than Cruz. He also has an opportunity to turnout Independent voters at a high rate. Let’s help him do that. Click here to donate and get involved with Beto’s campaign.