Conservative Agendas are Losing Support in Texas

Texas GOP may well be reconsidering some of their latest decisions regarding a new abortion ban, permitless carry, and a historic voting restriction bill, as the popularity of Republican Leaders and agendas are losing support in the Lone Star State.

Last week, the University of Texas at Austin and the Texas Tribune released a new poll, where they asked Texans about their opinion regarding Greg Abbott’s performance and some other issues at Texas. Results are not that promising for Republicans, as some of their most important agendas are not that well-received among the general public.

First, as the GOP fought hard to restrict voting rights for minorities in Texas, and finally ended up passing SB1, America’s greatest attack on free elections, the general perception on Democracy and Election Safety in Texas is mostly positive, as 54% of the people believe that Democracy is working Extremely Well, Very Well or Somewhat Well. Only 20% believe Democracy is working very or extremely poorly. Even when asked about party affiliation, Republican voters believed even more strongly that democracy was working well, before the voting restriction bill passed.

Another big agenda that Mr. Abbott has been pushing is the one regarding immigration and border security, and even as the GOP Governor has pledged millions of dollars to build a wall, increase patrols around the border and impose new laws that target illegal immigration, his popularity regarding this issue has not been well received by the public, as 46% of the people polled believe somewhat or strongly disapprove how he has been handling the issue.

There is one other big issue where the public is distancing itself from Mr. Abbott’s irrational governance. The Texas Governor has forbidden schools and institutions to impose mask mandates and to make them mandatory on their campuses, however, only 28% of the people polled strongly oppose requiring school students and staff to wear masks indoors and 47% of the people strongly support this. 

Lastly, the Coronavirus response by Mr. Abbott has been strongly repudiated around Texas. 53% of the people disapprove somewhat or strongly of his response to the pandemic, and only 21% strongly support his crusade (or lack of) against the pandemic.