Left-leaning Public Policy Polling, the outfit that once infamously found that Barack Obama was more popular in Texas than Gov. Rick Perry, has found its way closer to reality. In a new poll out today PPP reports that just 41% of Texans approve of President Obama’s job performance, compared with 55% who disapprove.
The poll overall shows little hope for Democrats to win anything statewide in Texas. Sen. John Cornyn (R) leads handily against any Democrat challenger. Even the media’s new saint, Wendy Davis, would lose to Cornyn by eight points as things stand right now. Once the various GOP camps tie her to the madness going on in Austin right now, her numbers should decline.
The news for Gov. Perry’s possible run for president isn’t good according to PPP. He currently stands in fifth place in presidential preference among Texas Republicans, behind Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, NJ Gov. Chris Christie and even former Rep. Ron Paul. Perry will announce his plans on Monday.
Elsewhere in the poll, just 34% of Texans favor same-sex marriage.
PPP says that 72% of Texans support requiring background checks for all gun purchases including over the Internet and at gun shows. That’s a somewhat deceptive way to ask the question, though, as federally licensed dealers selling at gun shows and over the Internet are already required to perform background checks. It’s individual sellers at both, and outside both, that are not. So, PPP is asking for Texans’ opinion on something that is already mandated in federal law for the most part.
Just 9% believe that someone should “mess with Texas.” Really, PPP asked that question. 78% don’t think it’s wise to mess with Texas. They’re obviously right.
The bottom line is that at this point the Democrats still have a very long way to go to make Texas even competitive for them, let alone blue. Siding with the “Hail Satan” forces will not help them. At all.
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