As the 2024 primaries gain momentum, the race between Senator Ted Cruz and challenger Colin Allred is becoming increasingly intense.
A recent report from the University of Houston sheds light on this competition. In 2021, the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, alongside the Executive Master of Public Administration Program in the Barbara Jordan – Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University, initiated the Texas Trends Survey. This five-year project aims to study the evolving demographics and opinions in Texas. The data collected from these annual surveys will be shared with policymakers, community leaders, academics, and the public, providing objective information to guide decision-making for a better Texas.
The 2024 Texas Trends survey was conducted between June 20 and July 1, 2024, focusing on public opinions about the general election and various policies. The survey included 2,257 respondents, aged 18 and older, with a confidence interval of +/-2.1% for the overall population and +/-2.5% for the sub-population of 1,484 likely voters. The survey results will be presented in five reports covering the November 2024 election, school choice, housing, immigration, and climate challenges.
Key findings on the Cruz-Allred race include:
- Cruz leads among men (50% to 42%), while Allred holds a slight lead among women (46% to 44%).
- Cruz has a strong lead among white likely voters (55% to 38%), whereas Allred leads significantly among Black (76% to 15%) and Latino voters (47% to 39%).
- 23% of likely voters are unfamiliar with Allred, compared to just 3% who are unfamiliar with Cruz.
- Cruz has a favorable opinion among 49% of likely voters (27% very favorable), with 48% viewing him unfavorably (38% very unfavorable).
- Allred is viewed favorably by 46% of likely voters (21% very favorable), with 31% holding an unfavorable opinion of him (17% very unfavorable).
Image courtesy of https://uh.edu/hobby/txtrends/2024/ 
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 25: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) departs from the Senate Chamber following a cloture vote on the Kids Online Safety Act in the U.S. Capitol Building on July 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. Proponents of the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act, say the bill aims to protect children from online harms for the first time since 1998. It has support from parents’ groups, advocacy organizations, and companies like Microsoft, X, and Snap. (Photo by Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
In the Texas Railroad Commissioner race, 41% of likely voters support Republican Christi Craddick, 35% back Democrat Katherine Culbert, while Libertarian Hawk Dunlap and Green Party’s Eddie Espinoza each have 3% support, with 18% still undecided.
Additionally, 49% of Texas likely voters believe the state is on the wrong track, while 43% think it’s heading in the right direction. Nationally, 65% of Texas likely voters feel the U.S. is on the wrong track, with only 28% believing it’s moving in the right direction.
