Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 26
Texas Poll Shows 42%-39% Senate Split as Abbott Opens 45%-40% Governor Lead
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 26

Texas Poll Shows 42%-39% Senate Split as Abbott Opens 45%-40% Governor Lead

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 26

Summary

  • James Talarico led Ken Paxton 42% to 39% in the new Texas Politics Project poll, but the Senate race remained within the survey's 2.83-point margin of error with 14% still undecided.
  • 1,200 registered voters were surveyed Aug. 5-13, and the shift from June reflected softer Republican backing for Paxton—79% now support him—while Talarico held 91% of Democrats and led independents 37% to 11%.
  • Greg Abbott ran ahead of Gina Hinojosa 45% to 40%, reversing earlier movement toward Democrats, while other statewide Republican candidates also held leads of 5 to 7 points.
  • 57% of Texans said they oppose a data center in their community versus 30% in support, extending June's nearly identical result and showing especially strong resistance among Democrats, independents and rural voters.

Insights

How will Texas balance its fragile power grid with the massive resource demands of the booming AI data center industry?
If counties lack the legal power to stop tech giants, who will protect rural water supplies from being drained by data centers?
With developers turning to on-site fossil fuels to bypass grid limits, what hidden environmental costs will local communities ultimately pay?