Democratic Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa has appeared ahead of current Republican Governor Greg Abbott for the first time. While the poll excited Democratic voters, it worried conservative voters in Texas, who had mixed reactions, ranging from anger to disbelief.
As reported by USA Today, a new ReconMR/Texas Pulse poll shows Hinojosa four points ahead of Abbott, with 49% of the vote against the governor’s 45%. This is not only the first time that a poll has shown her in the lead, but it also solidifies a recent trend in which Abbott is slowly but steadily losing ground.
In previous polls, Abbott appeared with a six-point victory margin in June, and then only one point in July. This occurred due to more Independent voters backing Hinojosa against Abbott.
However, it’s important to note that the poll was conducted between September 8 and 11 among 614 Texas voters, with a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
Conservatives React to Hinojosa Leading New Poll
While Hinojosa’s lead in the new poll sparked joy among Democratic voters, conservative voters reacted fairly negatively to the poll on X, commenting on Hinojosa’s social media post.
For instance, one seemingly worried person said: “If you have any hope, then Texas has none!” Others pleaded with their fellow residents not to vote for the Democrat: “Fellow Texans, please do not vote for any democrat. We have to protect our American heritage and values under God’s guidance. America is not a socialist country.”
What seemed to worry voters is what Hinojosa could do if she won: “Texas, do better. She will open the border.” Someone else said: “This [expletive] wants state tax and a [expletive] income tax and an automatic recount if she wins.”
One user summarized the overall sentiment of the thread, saying: “Don’t Spanberger Texas,” mentioning the controversial Democratic governor of Virginia, a state that recently changed from Republican to Democratic leadership.
Not every single conservative-leaning voter believed that this meant that Hinojosa would win, however. Some, for example, did not believe in the polls: “Another worthless poll. You are not going to win and will never be Governor of Texas.”
Only time will tell whether Hinojosa can build on this result as Election Day approaches, but her first polling lead over Abbott has clearly given some Texas conservatives reason for concern.
