Blog
New UT/Texas Politics Project Poll: Most Texans look to Republican leaders to resolve differences, deliver on major priorities
The latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll finds large majorities of Texans saying that it’s important for the legislature to improve the reliability of the state’s energy grid and water supply while reducing property taxes – even as disagreements among the state’s Republican leadership about how to accomplish some of these goals, particularly property tax reduction, but also grid reliability, continue to boil over in public.
The poll reveals much less agreement and more partisan division in opinions about what the legislature needs to accomplish, and in response to specific policy proposals, especially on social and cultural issues that continue to roil politics across the nation, including abortion, transgender rights, and education.
Job approval trends for Texas statewide incumbents and other trend data from the Texas Politics Project poll data archive (April 2023 UT/Texas Politics Project Poll update)
This page compiles graphics for trends in job approval ratings of the current statewide incumbents (Governor, Lt. Governor, U.S. Senators) that Texans rate on every poll . Bookmark the page for easy reference – we’ve also added similar graphics for trends in Texans’ assessment of conditions in Texas and the U.S., and some archival results for comparison with leaders no longer in office.
Second Reading Podcast: Where Texans go for political news
In the latest Second Reading Podcast, Jim Henson and Josh Blank look at recent University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll results on Texans' news and social media habits, and patterns in their use and attitudes toward different social media platforms.
A Snapshot of Media and Social Media Use Among Texas Voters
In December 2022, we asked which media they used as a source for news in the previous week. Then in February 2023, we followed up with more specific questions about use of different social media platforms, and voters’ views of them. Below, we break down those results, and look into the different media ecosystems of the state’s Republican and Democratic voters.
Second Reading Podcast: Let's talk about uncertainty
In the latest Second Reading Podcast, Jim Henson and Josh Blank discuss the sources of uncertainty in the present stage of a very active legislative session in Texas.
Second Reading Podcast: Budget Day is Coming + other developments in the Texas Legislature
In the latest Second Reading Podcast, Jim Henson and Josh Blank discuss Texas attitudes on spending in advance of the budget bill hitting the floor of the House this week, and consider broader dynamics at work in a couple of recent telling events as the session unfolds.
Seven Observations about Texas Public Opinion on Public Education
With the public education agenda packed during this year’s legislative session, below are some general observations about Texas voters’ attitudes toward and about the state’s public education system from over 10 years of University of Texas Polling.
Second Reading Podcast: Coalitional Politics as the 88th Legislature Heats Up
In the latest Second Reading Podcast, Jim Henson and Josh Blank discuss how the attitudes of different elements of the majority Republcan coalition are likely to impact the movement of legislation, or lack thereof, in hot-button areas as the legislature heats up.
Donald Trump Rallies in Waco as Indictments and 2024 Primary Challenges Loom
In advance of Trump’s planned campaign kick-off in Waco, Texas, we have gathered some polling data to provide context for how Texans – most importantly Texas Republicans and independents – view the former president before his high profile visit. Overall, Trump appears to have retained the high regard of Texas Republicans, albeit amidst signs of some dampening enthusiasm. But large swathes of GOP voters remain not just positively inclined toward him; they also continue to believe the mythology surrounding his loss in 2020, and remain focused on the grievances that fed his takeover of the Republican Party in the 2016 election.
Second Reading Podcast: Texans' views of Donald Trump as the ex-president makes a campaign stop in Waco
In the latest Second Reading podcast, Jim Henson and Josh Blank look at Texans' views of Donald Trump in Texas Politics Project polling in advance of a campaign stop in Waco by the ex-president this weekend.