The Blue Wave of 2018 might hit Texas, traditionally a GOP stronghold. According to a newly released Quinnipiac poll, Senator Ted Cruz, the Republican incumbent, is polling in Texas at 47%, while his Democratic challenger to the Senate seat, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke of El Paso, is trailing only 3 points behind at 44%, within the poll’s margin of error.
While Ted Cruz is a household name and Beto O’Rourke is not, O’Rourke is quickly gaining traction among Democrats and Independents in the state, even some Republicans. In the first three months of 2018, O’Rourke has already raised $6.7 million in campaign contributions. By comparison, Ted Cruz has only raised $3.2 million in the first three months. The Texas Tribune reports O’Rourke “posted one of the top quarterly federal fundraising hauls ever, outside of presidential campaigns. If not for O’Rourke’s large sum, Cruz’s fundraising would be considered robust for any incumbent seeking re-election.”
It seems O’Rourke’s impressive fundraising may have less to do with a successful campaign strategy, and more to do with who he is running against. “Other than the current occupant of the White House, there’s no Republican who Democrats hate more than Cruz” (CNN). The same Quinnipiac survey found that 52% of the registered voters polled disapprove of President Trump’s job performance, while only 43% approve of the work he has done.