Tea Party favorite Ted Cruz has narrowed the gap with Establishment Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Although Dewhurt is polling at 40% and Cruz at 31%, this signifies a closing and would force a run off on June 31st. If this happens, Ted Cruz would have the advantage.
Texas’ Republican primary for U.S. Senate is close — and could be headed for a July 31 runoff — with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst holding a single-digit lead over former Solicitor General Ted Cruz, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll.
Dewhurst had the support of 40 percent of likely voters, followed by Cruz at 31 percent. Former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert had 17 percent and broadcaster and former football player Craig James was at 4 percent, with five other GOP candidates bringing up the rear.
Daron Shaw, a UT-Austin government professor and co-director of the poll, said Cruz has been able to position himself to the right of the lieutenant governor for a May 29 Republican primary where that’s a big advantage — and he’s done that in a year in which insurgent candidates have been scoring big
[….]
“If they’re in a runoff, Dewhurst is in trouble,” Shaw said.
If Ted Cruz wins, this will be another defeat at for the GOP elites.
Tags: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, Ted Cruz, Texas
