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UH survey shows 5% margin in race for Texas governor

UH poll shows 5% margin separates Greg Abbott and Beto O'Rourke for upcoming November election. (KPRC)

HOUSTON โ€“ The University of Houston released on Wednesday results of an online survey that shows incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott with a narrow lead over Democrat contender Beto Oโ€™Rourke.

The poll, conducted by UH Hobby School of Public Affairs, shows that 47 percent of Texasโ€™ registered voters plan to cast their ballots for Abbott, with Oโ€™Rourke trailing closely behind with 42 percent. There is just a little more than three months left before the Nov. 8 Teas state elections.

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As noted on UHโ€™s website, Of those respondents, nearly all Abbott supporters (95%) and Oโ€™Rourke supporters (92%) said they will hold firm in their decision, with only 5% and 8% indicating they were open to changing their minds before voting time.

Among the survey respondents who identified as Democrat, 96% intended to vote for Oโ€™Rourke, compared with just 1% who said they will vote for Abbott. Among respondents who identified as Republican, 91% intended to vote for Abbott, compared to 2% who said they will vote for Oโ€™Rourke.

The survey asked which of 15 current issues matter most in the choice for governor. Overall, more than three-fourths of respondents indicated five issues were โ€œveryโ€ or โ€œextremelyโ€ important in the race for governor: inflation (84%), crime and public safety (83%), government spending and taxes (78%), economic growth (78%), and health care costs (76%).

Political allegiance made a clear difference. Among Abbott supporters, more than nine out of 10 of the surveyโ€™s likely voters put emphasis on four issues in the governorโ€™s race: inflation (96%), immigration and border security (94%), crime and public safety (92%), and government spending and taxes (91%).

Among Oโ€™Rourke supporters, nine out of 10 likely voters in the survey selected three issues as most influential in their vote for governor: voting rights (94%), gun control (92%), and health care costs (90%).

Read FULL REPORT of findings on the University of Houstonโ€™s website.