Romney has a big lead in Texas

Was anyone thinking otherwise?

Robyn Beck/AFP

A Texas delegate at the Tampa Bay Times Forum on August 30, 2012 shows support at the Republican National Convention.

Mitt Romney may be struggling in some key swing states, but there’s no slippage for him in conservative Texas, a new poll shows.

Thanks to a lopsided lead among white voters, Romney is leading President Obama 55-40, according to a poll from Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research, which carries out surveys for GOP candidates. That’s even higher than John McCain scored against Obama in 2008.

Chris Perkins, who is a partner at the research firm and served as the pollster for U.S. Senate hopeful Ted Cruz in his Republican primary victory over Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, said he expected a better showing for Obama after the Democratic National Convention.

The three-day telephone poll of likely Texas voters was conducted Sunday through Tuesday, plenty of time for any post-convention glow to reach the electorate.

“I thought the Obama number would be a little bit better,” Perkins said. “It wasn’t there. It’s kind of lining up to what 2008 did — if not better — for McCain.” McCain beat Obama 55-44 in Texas in 2008.

The survey showed Romney with 32 percent of the Hispanic vote, which mirrors national Latino numbers for the Republican candidate in the wake of his party's convention in Tampa, according to a recent poll. Romney got only 6 percent of the African-American vote in Texas, compared with 90 percent who favor Obama.

But Romney’s lead over Obama among white voters in Texas is nothing short of overwhelming — 77-17 percent in the survey — which helps to explain why Republican candidates are maintaining their electoral advantage here even as the minority population explodes.

Whites no longer make up a majority in Texas, but they composed 60 percent of the pool of likely voters in the survey.

In swing states, the white vote is more divided. For example, a recent Public Policy Polling survey from Ohio shows Obama only slightly behind Romney among white voters, 50 to 46 percent.

Perkins said his poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points and was not conducted for any candidate or entity.

Click here to see the Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research study.

Pegasus News Content partner - The Texas Tribune

upshaw, anonymous:

The point should not be what Romney's arrogant attitude did to his numbers but what it says about his belief system. Essentially, he is saying that if you are a low-wage worker, a college student needing a loan, a disabled person or age 65 or older, you don't count and he does not have time for you. In past years, we decided that the conscience of a culture was more important than majority rule. That's why slavery ended, we have universal suffrage, we don't throw seniors out into the street and gays aren't openly hunted and killed. I can't believe that in this day and time, we have to teach basic humanity to those who are lucky enough to be rich.

9 months ago
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Jason Rice, verified:

Actually, he said that if you are dependent on the government, your interest would be in the perpetuation of the status quo and therefor out of reach of any of his campaign efforts. One can argue the validity of that assertion, but the recordings don't imply grinding seniors into Soylent Green any time soon.

lucky enough to be rich

I haven't found the article about him winning a lottery, but if you say so...

9 months ago
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alexander troup, verified:

if he gets elected, then Bush and Chaney can come out of hidding and help him start the next war and spend another 3 trillion dollars, for Christian rights....GOD save the Queen....

8 months, 4 weeks ago
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