Texas Republicans have long asked to have a position of influence in the process of selecting the party’s nominee for president. That opportunity has now come to the voters of the Lone Star State and Texans are flocking to the polls in droves.
As early voting for the Texas Super Tuesday GOP Primary came to a close last Friday, more people have already voted than did so in the early voting cycles of the past two Texas GOP presidential primaries combined. A total of 658,208 voters cast their ballots during the past two weeks, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s office. The previous two Texas GOP presidential primaries brought out a total of 646,835 Republican voters.
Super Tuesday will likely decide the fate of the Republican candidates for president. Voters in eleven states will cast their ballots and Texas, with her 155 Republican delegates, is the crown jewel of the contest.
Texas is now a must-win for her favorite-son Ted Cruz. The polls are predicting anywhere from a virtual tie, to an 11 point lead for the Texas senator over Donald Trump, according to Real Clear Politics. The question remains, who are these voters who have turned out in such massive early voting numbers, and have they been accurately reflected in the polling data.
Texas Republican Presidential Primary — March 1 (155 Delegates)
| Poll | Date | Sample | MoE |
Cruz
|
Trump
|
Rubio
|
Kasich
|
Carson
|
Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCP Average | 2/18 – 2/28 | — | — | 37.2 | 28.2 | 18.0 | 6.7 | 6.0 | Cruz +9.0 |
| FOX 26/Opinion Savvy | 2/28 – 2/28 | 712 LV | 3.7 | 36 | 25 | 19 | 9 | 8 | Cruz +11 |
| Emerson | 2/26 – 2/28 | 449 LV | 4.6 | 35 | 32 | 16 | 9 | 4 | Cruz +3 |
| ARG | 2/26 – 2/28 | 400 LV | 5.0 | 33 | 32 | 17 | 7 | 6 | Cruz +1 |
| CBS News/YouGov | 2/22 – 2/26 | 796 LV | 5.6 | 42 | 31 | 19 | 4 | 4 | Cruz +11 |
| Monmouth | 2/22 – 2/24 | 456 LV | 4.6 | 38 | 23 | 21 | 5 | 6 | Cruz +15 |
| NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl | 2/18 – 2/23 | 537 LV | 4.2 | 39 | 26 | 16 | 6 | 8 | Cruz +13 |
The other states voting in the Super Tuesday primary contest include: Alabama with 50 delegates, Alaska with 28 delegates, Arkansas with 40 delegates, Georgia with 76 delegates, Massachusetts with 42 delegates, Minnesota with 38 delegates, Oklahoma with 43 delegates, Tennessee with 58 delegates, Vermont with 16 delegates, and Virginia with 49 delegates. A total of 595 delegates will be selected by the 11 state primaries or caucuses.
In addition to selecting delegates for the presidential nomination, Texans will also be voting for 36 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission, members of the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the State Board of Education, many state senators and 150 members of the Texas House of Represenataives.
Locally, district court judges, appellate court judges, district attorneys, sheriffs, and other county offices will be on the ballot.
The polls in Texas will be open from 7 a.m until 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7 p.m. you will be allowed to vote regardless of how long the lines are at the time.
The Texas Secretary of State’s office has prepared a website to assist voters in finding their polling location. Unlike early voting, on Election Day you must vote at your home precinct polling location. Questions about photo ID and other voting related information can also be answered at Secretary of State Carlos H. Cascos’ website.
Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. He is also a Life Member of the NRA. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.