Texas: New Dem Poll

The Texas Tribune sponsored a primary election poll in anticipation of the state’s first-in-the-nation midterm primary scheduled for March 6th.   According to the survey (YouGov; 2/1-12; 1,200 TX adults; 633 modeled Republican primary voters; 517 modeled Democratic primary voters; an over-sample of 424 confirmed primary voters were added to the respective party samples; weighted sampling universe), Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has opened a 43-24% lead over businessman Andrew White, son of former Gov. Mark White, in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.  The winner faces an uphill battle against first-term incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott (R).
 
The pollsters also asked about the US Senate race, among other statewide campaigns.  There, it appears that both Sen. Ted Cruz (R) and Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-El Paso) can expect little primary competition in early March.  Both are easily expected to win their respective nominations without run-offs, and then face each other in the general election.

--Jim Ellis