Ted Cruz may not have as big a lead as he would have been hoping for in the race for his Texas Senate seat, according to a poll.
A Manhattan Institute survey of 600 likely voters in Texas found that Cruz has a 3 point lead (46 percent to 43 percent) over his Democratic rival, rep. Colin Allred. This margin is down from a double-digit lead the incumbent Republican has enjoyed in previous Texas senate surveys.
When broken down further, the Manhattan Institute poll found that Allred has an 11-point lead over Cruz among female voters (49 percent to 38 percent) as well as an eight-point lead over the potentially crucial independent voters (43 percent to 35 percent).
The polling group also suggests that Cruz may find himself in a “tight race” partially because of Allred’s favorability. The Democrat holds a net favorability rating of plus 12 points, compared to minus nine for the GOP Senator.
“However, 45 percent of all likely voters—and 54 percent of GOP likely voters—do not know who Allred is or report no impression of him whatsoever, positive or negative,” wrote Jesse Arm, director of external affairs and presidential initiatives at the Manhattan Institute.
“Thus it remains entirely possible for Republicans to define Allred negatively between now and election day, change the tenor of this race, and expand their lead to approach something comparable to Donald Trump‘s margin.”
Read more here from Newsweek.