This Texas Poll Should Encourage Democrats Everywhere

These charts were made from a new University of Texas / Texas Tribune Poll -- done between February 1st and 12th of a random sample of 1200 registered Texas voters (46% Republican, 44% Democrat, and 10% Independent), with a margin of error of 2.83 points.

It shows that the voters in Texas have a similar opinion of both political parties, and the generic ballot is very close (closer than any in recent memory). That should encourage Democrats everywhere, because Texas has been a very red state for the last couple of decades. Previous polls have shown Republicans with a much better advantage. If red-state Texas is this close, then other states (both red and blue) will probably have Democrats doing better than in the last few election.

Don't get me wrong. Texas will still be a very hard fight for Democrats this year. It will take a lot of hard work and a very large turnout of voters for the Democrats to do well. But there is a legitimate chance for Democrats to make inroads in both the state legislature and the delegation they send to the U.S. Congress -- and maybe in some statewide races (although that will be tougher).

Here are how some of the statewide candidates are polling within their own political party:

U.S. SENATE (Republican)
Ted Cruz...............91%
Bruce Jacobson, Jr.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,3%
Mary Miller...............3%
Geraldine Sam...............2%
Stefano de Stefano...............1%

U.S. SENATE (Democratic)
Beto O'Rourke...............73%
Sema Hernandez...............19%
Edward Kimbrough...............8%

GOVERNOR (Republican)
Greg Abbott...............95%
Barbara Krueger...............5%
SECEDE Kilgore...............0

GOVERNOR (Democratic)
Lupe Valdez...............43%
Andrew White...............24%
Grady Yarbrough...............7%
Tom Wakely...............7%
Adrian Ocegueda...............5%
Jeffrey Payne...............5%
Cedric Davis, Sr................4%
Joe Mumbach...............3%
James Jolly Clark...............1%

LT. GOVERNOR (Republican)
Dan Patrick...............88%
Scott Milder...............12%

LT. GOVERNOR (Democratic)
Mike Collier...............55%
Michael Cooper...............45%

LAND COMMISSIONER (Republican)
George P. Bush...............57%
Jerry Patterson...............31%
Davey Edwards...............6%
Rick Range...............6%

LAND COMMISSIONER (Democratic)
Miguel Suazo...............68%
Tex Morgan...............32%