With the first week of early voting in full swing, Texas voters across the state are posting their experiences at the ballot box, from waiting in long lines at the polling center, a selfie with their favorite candidate’s yard sign, and the infamous “I voted” sticker.
According to polling, Republican incumbents have held a consistent lead throughout the campaign season, but not without some pressure from their Democratic challengers.
Over the weekend, the Beacon Research for the Democratic Policy Institute poll showed Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’ Rourke trailing by two to three points behind incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott with registered voters.
That’s a statistical toss-up, with the margin of error pointing to a close race between Abbott and O’Rourke. On Monday, the University of Houston showed Abbott leading O’Rourke by eight points among voters.
Despite Abbott outspending O’Rourke in television advertising, O’ Rourke has consistently betted on his 100,000 volunteers across the state who are canvassing neighborhoods and registering voters.
Likewise, according to a recent report, Democratic Attorney General nominee Rochelle Garza is within a two-point margin with indicted Republican AG Ken Paxton. The Texas AG race has been identified as Democrats’ best chance to flip a state-wide office from red to blue.
Garza’s campaign has focused primarily on abortion access and immigration reform, while Paxton’s legal mishaps have played a big part in his campaign.
In the race for Lieutenant Governor, former Republican and accountant Mike Collier’s ability to reach across the aisle and gather a handful of Republican endorsements show Texas voters are open to voting for a Democrat at the ballot box.
According to reports, Republicans’ disapproval of Patrick’s term in office pushed them to support Collier’s second candidacy against the incumbent.
In terms of issues facing Texans, many voters cite immigration, the economy, crime, abortion, gun safety, and education as some of their top issues, according to polling.
Of course, polling can be irregular in any election season, but after eight years in office, polling shows Texas leadership across the board still hasn’t secured voters’ trust.
Early voting runs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 4. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Kennedy is a recent graduate of the University of St.Thomas in Houston where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Celt Independent. Kennedy brings her experience of writing about social justice issues to the Texas Signal where she serves as our Political Reporter. She does everything from covering crime beats, Texas politics, and community activism. Kennedy is a passionate reporter, avid reader, coffee enthusiast, and loves to travel.
