New Texas Poll Proves Ted Cruz Is Electable

A new poll out by University of Texas and the Texas Tribune has Trump and Texas [mc_name name=’Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C001098′ ] tied for the lead. More than that, it shows the Texas primary is a two-man race:

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and businessman Donald Trump are in a dead heat for the Republican presidential nomination in Texas, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.

With four months to go before the March 1 primary, each had the support of 27 percent of likely Republican voters. Surgeon Ben Carson and U.S. [mc_name name=’Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’R000595′ ] of Florida were well back of the leaders at 13 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

The poll also asked respondents who they would NOT vote for:

Jeb Bush, the scion of the state’s best-known political family and a former governor of Florida, led the list of candidates that Republican voters said they would definitely not support: 25 percent of those voters said they wouldn’t vote for him.

Bush was followed closely by U.S. [mc_name name=’Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’G000359′ ] of South Carolina, former New York Gov. George Pataki, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore.

Trump was tied for sixth with Ohio Gov. John Kasich on that list of undesirables. Cruz was 14th; only Carson, at 7 percent, attracted a smaller number of “nevers” than Cruz.

What, if anything, does this poll mean? The biggest takeaway is that the “unelectable” label the GOP establishment has been trying to hang on Cruz is obviously bulls***. Not only is he tied for the lead but a substantial margin but his no-way-Jose factor is really low.

The next challenge for Cruz will be appealing to disaffected Carson and Trump voters, and after Trump’s rather epic episode of self-destruction yesterday we may have that answer sooner rather than later.