Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is currently leading in the Lone Star State in the Democratic presidential primary race in Texas, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) a close second, according to a Texas Lyceum poll.
According to the poll, Biden leads with 28%, slightly ahead of Sanders with 26%. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) has 13%, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has 9%, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg drew 6% and while Sen. Amy Klobuchar (MN) has 4%.
The same poll said Biden comes in second when matched against President Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2020 general election race. None of the candidates topped Trump in Texas, according to the poll, but Sanders polled the closest to the president, 50% to 47%, with likely general election voters.
The Lyceum poll carries a margin of error of +/- 4.89% among potential Democratic Primary Voters. (See the questions at the bottom of this page.)
The Texas Lyceum also took a look at the race against U.S. John Cornyn (R-TX) where there are 12 Democratic Primary candidates hoping to challenge the senior senator in the general election this November in a primary race that seems likely headed for a runoff. In the poll, none of the Democratic dozen garnered more than 11% of the vote.
"Air Force Veteran and 2018 congressional candidate M.J. Hegar is leading the field with 11 points. Trailing Hegar are State Sen. Royce West (Dallas) at 8%, activist Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez at 7%, at-large Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards at 6%, and Beaumont car dealer and pastor Michael Cooper at 4%," pollsters said.
Joshua Blank, Ph.D., research director of the Texas Lyceum poll, said Texas is a difficult state for candidates to introduce themselves in due to the geographic size and the number of large media markets.
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“In a year in which the political oxygen has been sucked up by the Democratic Presidential Primary and impeachment, it’s clearly been a major challenge for those seeking to take on John Cornyn to break through with the Texas electorate. These new results confirm that it’s still anyone’s race," Blank said.
Speaking of the impeachment, The Lyceum also found Texans were split on whether or not to remove the president from office. The poll was fielded Jan. 10-19, after impeachment proceedings in the House had concluded and before the U.S. Senate trial had begun. Overall, 44% of Texas adults said the Senate should remove the president from office, while 45% disagree.
"Not surprisingly, views on impeachment reflect party loyalty, as 77% of Democrats believe the president should be removed from office while 86% of Republicans believe he should remain. However, in what is expected to be a more competitive election year by Texas standards, self-identified independents were more inclined to say that the president should be removed from office, 46% to 31%," pollsters said.
Trump's job approval rating in the state has stayed consistent, the poll said, despite other factors like the impeachment hearing and the dust-up with Iran.
"Overall, 52% of adult Texans surveyed disapprove of the job the president is doing, while 47% approve. Again, party plays a big role in the president’s job approval rating, with 89% of Republicans giving him high marks. Among Democrats, 85% say the president is doing a poor job. A majority of independents also rate the president negatively, with 60% saying he’s doing a poor job and 37% giving him a positive review.
Texas Lyceum is a 40-year-old nonprofit, nonpartisan statewide leadership group. This most recent poll was conducted between Jan. 10-19 by calling 1,000 adults in Texas on the phone.
"The survey utilized a stratified probability sample design, with respondents being randomly selected at the level of the household and questioned by live interviewers. The survey also employed a randomized cellphone supplement, with 60% of completed interviews being conducted among cellphone only or cellphone dominant households," organizers said.
The Texas Primary, which is part of Super Tuesday, is March 3. Runoffs from the primary would be Tuesday, May 26. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
For more information, please visit texaslyceum.org.
