Trump hit by shock poll in red state ahead of debate

Trump hit by shock poll in red state ahead of debate

• Trump has a six point lead in the state of Texas over Biden
• READ MORE: Trump and Biden face off for first presidential debate

Donald Trump has just a six point lead over President Joe Biden in the state of Texas according to a new poll released ahead of Trump and Biden's rematch on the debate stage.

A Democrat has not won a statewide race in Texas in twenty years, but the polling shows a closer race than some might expect in a red state with just over four months to go before the election.

The University of Texas at Tyler poll found Trump had 46 percent among registered voters while Biden had 40 percent. Another six percent said they would like to vote for someone else.

Among likely voters, Trump is at 48 percent while Biden is at 43 percent. And when third-party candidates are included Trump is at 47 percent while Biden is at 41 percent.

Only 25 percent of voters in Texas believe the country is headed in the right direction. 73 percent said it is on the wrong track. A majority of voters there at 56 percent also believe the state is on the wrong track.

The number one policy Texas is facing according to the poll was securing the border at 38 percent.

The importance put on border security was more than double that put on the second most important issue: inflation. 14 percent of voters said it was the most important issue facing Texas. Democrats listed reproductive rights as the most important issue.

More than half of voters in the state have a very or somewhat unfavorable view of Trump at 51 percent.

But 60 percent of Texas voters disapprove of how Biden is handling the job of president.

The poll is not far off from 2020 when Trump won the state by just over 5.5 percent. He received just over 52 percent of the vote while Biden won more than 46 percent.

But it's a smaller percentage from what Trump won the state by in 2016 when he beat Hillary Clinton in Texas by nearly 9 points.

The last time a Democrat won a statewide race in Texas was in 1994. The last time a Democrat won the state in a presidential election was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Trump leads Biden among white voters with 53 percent to 36 percent while Biden leads among black voters 55 percent to 28 percent. Biden and Trump are nearly tied among Hispanic voters with Biden at 43 percent to Trump's 41 percent.

Another big race in the state getting attention is the Senate race with Republican Senator Ted Cruz up for reelection this fall.

The new poll shows him leading Democrat Colin Allred by just four points among registered voters 43 percent to 39 percent. His lead shrinks among likely voters 45 percent to 42 percent.

50 percent of Texas voters have a somewhat or very unfavorable view of Cruz. However, 34 percent said they did not know enough to have an opinion on Allred.