Emerson Poll: Texas GOP Gov. Abbott Up 8 Points in Re-election Bid

Texas likes to do things big, but the big money from Rep. Beto O'Rourke's, D-Texas, campaign is not going help flip the governor's mansion blue in the deep red state.

Republican incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott is up 8 points on Democrat Lupe Valdez 51-43 percent in the latest Emerson College poll, with 4 percent of likely voters still undecided.

As big as the lead might seem, the RealClear Politics analysis has Abbott as an even larger favorite, Texas-sized even, at 17.9 points up in the polling average. It also lists the governor's race as "safe GOP."

Despite the millions in O'Rourke's campaign war chest, Republicans are still polling more favorably than him:

• President Donald Trump: 49 percent favorable.
• Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas: 51 percent favorable.
• Rep. O'Rourke: 48 percent favorable.

Emerson College polled 781 likely Texas voters between Oct. 28-30, and the poll results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

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