Joe Biden Taking Slight Lead Over Donald Trump In Texas, Poll Says

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has taken a small lead in Texas over President Donald Trump, according to a Quinnipiac poll released Wednesday. The survey shows Biden at 45% support compared to 44% for Trump.

"With crises swirling through American society and a country deeply divided, there's no other way to slice it. It's a toss-up in Texas," Tim Malloy, a polling analyst at Quinnipiac said about the results.

The strong numbers for Biden come after incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz earned a narrow victory in 2018 over Democrat Robert "Beto" O'Rourke in a much-watched race.

Texas, which has 38 electoral votes, is currently one of the country's hotspots for the coronavirus. The pandemic and the struggling economy could have a negative impact on Trump’s favorability in a state he won handily over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

The last time a Democrat won Texas was in the 1976 general election. Jimmy Carter took 51.14% of the vote in the state against Republican incumbent Gerald Ford.

Recent polls show Biden consistently edging out Trump in key swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Trump won all three of the states by slim margins over Clinton in 2016.