Despite announcing a divorce over the summer, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continues to be the leading Republican candidate in the Senate race in Texas.
A recent poll from the University of Texas/Texas Political Project indicates that 55% of Republican voters view Paxton positively, compared to 42% who feel the same about incumbent Senator John Cornyn. Meanwhile, around 22% of those polled had a favorable opinion of Rep. Wesley Hunt, who has hinted at entering the Senate race, but 70% had no opinion about him at all.
The poll did not specifically evaluate the potential GOP Senate primary matchup. Notably, less than 20% of respondents reported being very informed about the upcoming Senate races, prompting pollsters to adopt a conservative strategy to assess their standings based on positive feedback.
Polls up until August hinted that Paxton was ahead of Cornyn, though Cornyn’s standing may have shifted after his wife, Angela Paxton, filed for divorce citing “biblical reasons” in July.
Angela Paxton stated, “Marriage was a sacred contract, and we have seriously pursued reconciliation. However, after recent discoveries, I believe it’s not respectful to God or to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in this marriage.”
Neither Republican has gained significant bipartisan support. Among all voters surveyed, only 22% held a favorable view of Cornyn, while 45% viewed him unfavorably. Paxton’s overall favorable rating was 28%, with a 45% unfavorable rating. Among Democrats, both Republicans garnered single-digit support.
The poll also revealed that Paxton leads Cornyn in job approval ratings among GOP voters. Nearly 60% of those surveyed approved of Paxton’s performance as attorney general, with 14% disapproving. In contrast, about 47% approved of Cornyn’s work, while 22% disapproved.
On the Democratic side, two former Senate candidates who lost to Senator Ted Cruz in recent elections emerged as frontrunners. Approximately 73% of Democrats viewed former lawmaker Beto O’Rourke positively, and 63% felt the same about former Rep. Colin Allred.
State Sen. James Tarico, who recently announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination, remains largely unknown among voters. Roughly 71% of Democrats expressed no opinion about him, with 60% indicating uncertainty.
The survey collected responses from 1,200 registered voters in Texas between August 22 and September 1, featuring a margin of error of 2.83%.
