A new Quinnipiac poll shows the Senate race in Texas within three points. The poll shows 47 percent of registered voters surveyed for Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and 44 percent for challenger Rep. Beto O’Rourke. 1,029 self-identified registered voters were surveyed from April 12 through April 17.
Political Science Professor Cal Jillson believes there is more to the race.
“It's a legitimate race. I think the Quinnipiac poll shows it closer than it actually is,” said Jillson.
Taking a closer look at the numbers, 31 percent of voters surveyed identified as Republicans, 24 percent as Democrat, 36 percent as Independent, and 10 percent in the “other” category.
“You have got a big cluster of independents, and two thirds of those independents lean either democrat or republican, with more leaning republican than democrat,” added Jillson.
It’s early in the election cycle. But Senator Cruz did say earlier in the month that he is concerned about Representative O’Rourke’s fundraising. O’Rourke hauled in $6.7 million last quarter alone. Cruz talked to us about the election in Forth Worth a few weeks ago.
“The comfort is there are a lot more conservatives than liberals in Texas, and so if conservatives show up in November, if we show up and vote, I think we will have a very good election,” said Cruz on April 4.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
But O’Rourke is encouraged by the poll numbers and his fundraising. He talked about his fundraising in early April.
"In the year that we have been running, we have only seen the number of donations increase from our fellow Texans,” said O’Rourke.
