A new poll is shedding light on who's backing which candidate in Texas' U.S. Senate race.
A poll from Mason-Dixon Polling and Research Inc. released Tuesday, Sept. 15, showed Democrat James Talarico polling ahead of his Republican rival, Ken Paxton, 46% to 43%. The poll surveyed 625 Texas voters between Sept. 8 and Sept. 10.
The new poll is only the latest in a round of polls showing Talarico leading Paxton with just over a month to go before the Nov. 3 General Election.
But the Mason-Dixon poll shows more than just where the candidates are polling overall; it sheds light on key demographics backing each candidate and the issues that are drawing them into the race.
Talarico maintains a double-digit lead among voters in Central and South Texas and holds
onto a narrow lead among voters in the Houston metro area. The two candidates are deadlocked at 45% in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but Paxton has double-digit leads in both East and West Texas.
Men are swinging for Paxton, 51%-39%, while women are solidly backing Talarico, 52%-36%.
The breakdown among age groups shows a strange shift, as Paxton has consistently led among voters over 50. The Mason-Dixon poll shows Talarico leading 51%-37% among voters between 18 and 34 and leading 49%-41% among voters between the ages of 50-64. The two are nearly tied among voters over 65, with Paxton claiming only a one-point lead.
Voters between the ages of 35 and 49 are the only age group swinging solidly for Paxton, 47%-42%.
Paxton continues to lead among white voters, with 54% of respondents backing the Republican candidate, while Talarico claimed 85% support among Black voters and 54% among Hispanic voters.
Key issues among Texas voters
Following is a breakdown of where respondents to the Mason-Dixon poll ranked key issues in the upcoming Texas election:
- Economy and jobs: 24%
- Inflation and the cost of living: 23%
- Immigration and the border: 18%
- Healthcare: 10%
- Crime and public safety: 7%
- Social issues, such as abortion and trans rights: 6%
- Education: 4%
- Housing: 3%
- Other/Not sure: 5%
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New poll reveals key demographic splits in Texas US Senate race
