Joe Biden Has Slim Lead Over Donald Trump In Texas, Poll Says

A poll released Tuesday from Morning Consult shows presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden with a slim 1-point lead over President Donald Trump in Texas. The survey shows Biden with 47% and Trump at 46%.

The poll of 2,576 likely voters was conducted from July 24 to Aug. 2. Biden’s lead in the poll is within the survey’s 2-point margin of error.

In 2016, Trump defeated Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in Texas by a 9-point margin. Trump’s handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, along with the state of the economy, could be hurting his chances with Texas voters. The state has 38 electoral votes and is considered a must-win for the Trump campaign.

Biden has now set his sights on a Texas victory, increasing his campaign staff in the state. Texas was last won by a Democrat in 1976, when Jimmy Carter beat Republican incumbent Gerald Ford in the state.

The poll also offers a snapshot of the state’s Senate race between incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic challenger M.J. Hegar. Cornyn leads Hegar, 44%-38%.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) announced Tuesday that it would spend at least $1 million to boost Hegar’s campaign.

"This race is a dead heat, and our increased investment reflects how MJ's campaign and the increasingly competitive climate has put another offensive opportunity on the map," DSCC Executive Director Scott Fairchild said in a statement to Politico.

Cornyn, a staunch ally of President Trump, has served in his seat since 2002. Democrats will need to take three or four seats this cycle to retake the Senate, depending on which party wins the White House.