Polls

Republicans lead across the board in Texas

| Tom Jensen

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
PPP’s newest Texas poll finds Republicans leading by double digits in all of the state’s major races for 2014. In the Governor’s race Greg Abbott’s at 51% to 37% for Wendy Davis. Those numbers are largely unchanged from our last poll of the state in early November when Abbott had a 50/35 advantage. Davis had a 39/29 favorability rating right after her famous filibuster last June, but since then voters in the state have mostly moved toward having negative opinions about her and now she’s at a 33/47 spread. Davis’ name recognition is actually 12 points higher than Abbott’s, but his reviews break down favorably with 40% having a positive view of him to 27% with a negative one.

One thing that may be working to Abbott’s benefit is that for the first time ever in PPP’s Texas polling Rick Perry has a positive approval rating, with 48% of voters approving of him to 44% who disapprove. Perry’s net approval has improved 18 points from where it was 2 years ago at this time in the wake of his failed Presidential bid, when only 39% of voters gave him good marks with 53% disapproving.

There’s been some thought that Democratic prospects might be better in the race for Lieutenant Governor but Leticia Van de Putte actually trails by slightly more than Davis, regardless of who her Republican opponent ends up being. Dan Patrick leads her by 16 points at 51/35 and incumbent David Dewhurst leads her by 18 points at 50/32.

Although it hasn’t really been on anyone’s radar screen the likely US Senate match up between John Cornyn and David Alameel is actually just about as competitive as the state races. Cornyn leads the contest 49/32. Cornyn is not particularly popular, sporting a 31/40 approval rating. That’s largely because Republican voters are pretty tepid toward him- a 46/27 spread- he’s lucky that he got Steve Stockman instead of a more serious challenger in the GOP primary last month.

“It looks like it’s going to be an uphill battle for Democrats in Texas this year,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Barack Obama’s approval rating in the state is 36% and that makes life hard for his party’s candidates.”

PPP surveyed 559 registered voters from April 10th and 13th. The margin of error for the overall survey is +/- 4.1%. 80% of interviews for the poll were conducted over the phone with 20% interviewed over the internet to reach respondents who don’t have landline telephones.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 36%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 58%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Rick Perry’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .48%
Disapprove…………. .44%
Not sure …………….. . 9%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Greg Abbott?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 40%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 27%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 33%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Wendy Davis?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q5 If the candidates for Governor this fall were
Republican Greg Abbott and Democrat Wendy
Davis, who would you vote for?
Greg Abbott ……………………………………………. 51%
Wendy Davis…………………………………………… 37%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%

Q6 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator John
Cornyn’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .31%
Disapprove…………. .40%
Not sure …………….. .30%

Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of David Alameel?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 12%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 21%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 67%

Q8 If the candidates for Senate this fall were
Republican John Cornyn and Democrat David
Alameel, who would you vote for?
John Cornyn …………………………………………… 49%
David Alameel…………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 20%

Q9 If the candidates for Lieutenant Governor this
fall were Republican David Dewhurst and
Democrat Leticia Van de Putte, who would you
vote for?
David Dewhurst ………………………………………. 50%
Leticia Van de Putte…………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q10 If the candidates for Lieutenant Governor this
fall were Republican Dan Patrick and
Democrat Leticia Van de Putte, who would you
vote for?
Dan Patrick …………………………………………….. 51%
Leticia Van de Putte…………………………………. 35%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q11 If the candidates for state Land Commissioner
this fall were Republican George P. Bush and
Democrat John Cook, who would you vote for?
George P. Bush ………………………………………. 50%
John Cook………………………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%

Q12 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 39%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 53%
Someone else / Don’t remember ……………….. 8%

Q13 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 8%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 23%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 29%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 23%

Q14 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%

Q15 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 32%
Republican……………………………………………… 44%
Independent / Other…………………………………. 24%

Q16 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 18%
White …………………………………………………….. 64%
African-American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%

Q17 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 20%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 43%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 25%

Q18 Mode
Phone ……………………………………………………. 80%
Internet ………………………………………………….. 20%

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