Correction: In yesterday’s (Tuesday) report, we erroneously listed Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) as representing open HD96, which is represented by the retiring Rep. Bill Zedler (R-Arlington). We have corrected the mistake in our online report and regret the error.
SD27: Planned Parenthood Texas Votes and Texas Equality PAC, the political arm of Equality Texas, endorsed challenger Sara Stapleton-Barrera in the Democratic runoff over Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. (D-Brownsville).
PRES: The presidential race in Texas is a statistical dead heat in the latest Texas Survey released today (Wednesday) by Democratic national polling firm Public Policy Polling. Joe Biden leads President Trump, 47%-46%, well within the survey’s margin of error. Respondents to the survey favored Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016, 51%-42%. Seven percent of Trump’s 2016 voters said they would vote for Biden and another 7% were not sure. Self-identified “independents” favored Biden, 50%-34%.
Biden led among Hispanic/Latino voters, 68%-21%. This is dramatically different than the most recent Univ. of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, which showed Abbott leading Trump, 50%-40%, among Hispanics/Latinos.
The president’s approval rating is 46/49, while Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) approval rating is 58/30. Interestingly, the survey found no gender gap when it came to Trump’s approval rating, which was 47/50 among women and 45/47 among men. Trump’s approval rating among “independents” was 35/55, while Abbott’s was 52/32.
More than three out of five respondents were “very concerned” (37%) or somewhat concerned (26%) about voting in person during the coronavirus outbreak. There was a stark divide between Trump’s 2016 voters (13% very concerned, 27% somewhat concerned) and Clinton’s 2016 voters (64% very concerned, 26% somewhat concerned). Asked about allowing all registered voters to vote by mail “given the current coronavirus outbreak,” 53% of respondents agreed, and 38% were opposed to the idea. Just 25% of Trump’s 2016 voters approved compared to 85% of Clinton’s 2016 voters. If eligible to vote by mail for the November general election, 43% said they “definitely” would do so, compared to 36% who “still plan to vote in person.” Only 19% of Trump’s 2016 voters would “definitely” vote by mail if eligible, compared to 69% of Clinton’s 2016 voters.
The survey of 1,032 “Texas voters” was in the field April 27-28. The poll was conducted for Democracy Toolbox, a Democratic firm based in Dallas Co.
SEN: The Communication Workers of America union endorsed Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas) in the Democratic runoff over M.J. Hegar. The union previously endorsed Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez for the primary election.
CD4: The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for U.S. Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Heath), President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, next week.
CD13 open: Young Conservatives of Texas endorsed Ronny Jackson in the Republican runoff over Josh Winegarner.
CD27: Democratic nominee Rick De La Fuente is now a candidate for Congress in Florida after he filed to challenge U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) in that state’s August 18 primary election. Wilson defeated him in the 2018 primary, 84%-16%. De La Fuente lost a primary election for another Congressional seat in California earlier this year, taking 9% of the vote. So far, De La Fuente has been unable to vote for himself in any of these elections because he is registered to vote in San Diego, Calif. De La Fuente defeated Corpus Christi businessman Charlie Jackson, 61%-39%, in the Democratic primary for CD27 in March, despite not campaigning in the district.
Mail Ballot Lawsuits: A lawsuit was filed today in a San Antonio federal court challenging the restriction of blanket eligibility to vote by mail to Texans aged 65. The suits argue the law violates the 26th Amendment of voters under age 65.
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