Article on Vice President Kamala Harris’s Unfavorability Rating in Texas

Vice President Kamala Harris Faces Uphill Battle in Texas Favorability Ratings

Despite being floated as a potential replacement for President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket, Vice President Kamala Harris is facing challenges in winning over Texas voters, according to a recent poll by the University of Houston/Texas Southern University.

The poll, conducted from June 20 to July 1, revealed that Harris has a 56% unfavorability rating among likely voters in Texas, worse than Biden’s 55% and former President Donald Trump’s 49% unfavorability ratings. This comes as calls for Biden to step aside have intensified following a presidential debate on June 27.

While the Biden administration is reportedly testing Harris in a head-to-head matchup against Trump, the polling data suggests that Harris has a long road ahead in winning over Texas voters, who strongly supported Trump in the 2020 election. However, recent national polling shows Harris surging ahead of Biden against Trump.

Renée Cross, Senior Executive Director of Hobby School of Public Affairs, who helped conduct the poll, noted that Harris may have seen a small bump in favorability, particularly among Black voters where she has an 81% approval rating compared to Biden’s 79%. However, Harris still faces challenges from both Republicans and progressive Democrats who criticize her tough-on-crime approach as a prosecutor in California.

Despite the uphill battle, Harris has seen a slight increase in popularity since the last poll in January, with her favorability rating rising from 36% to 42%. Her outreach efforts with voters of color and younger voters could be key to improving her favorability in the state.

The poll also highlighted the potential impact of a Harris presidential campaign on down-ballot races, with Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas potentially benefiting from a less contentious race if Harris were to lead the ticket.

As the political landscape continues to evolve, Harris’s favorability ratings in Texas will be closely watched, especially as the state gears up for the upcoming elections.