AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas is divided on the impeachment inquiry, according to a new poll from the University of Texas and The Texas Tribune that shows exactly where Democrats, Republicans and others fall when it comes to the issue.
The poll surveyed 1,200 registered Texas voters from Oct. 18-27. When asked if Congress is justified in conducting impeachment investigations into actions Donald Trump has taken while president, 46% of voters said yes, and 42% said no.
Texans are also split on whether they think Trump has taken action during his presidency that would justify his removal — 43% believe he has taken those actions while 44% believe he has not.
Democrats and Republicans are evenly split when it comes to whether his actions justify removal — 79% of Democrats say yes and 79% of Republicans say no.
James Henson, co-director of the poll and executive director of the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin, said Texans are sharply divided along partisan lines when it comes to considering impeachment and removing Trump from the presidency.
“Democrats are slightly more unified in their views than Republicans, and independents remain more divided on both questions than are partisans,” Henson said.
When asked about the actual impeachment investigation and how Congress is handling it, 49% disapprove of Republican efforts while 25% approve. For Democratic efforts, 45% disapprove while 40% approve.
Thursday the House voted 232 – 196 to further the impeachment inquiry and move the investigation into a new public phase.
State of Texas will have an in depth look at these numbers on Sunday, including an interview with James Henson, and what they say about Texas’ changing political climate.
The poll also asked voters for their opinions on the job performances of Texas leaders.
Governor Greg Abbott maintained support with 53% approval and 28% disapproval. Gov. Dan Patrick’s job approval decreased by 5%, with 39% approval and 32% disapproval.
Voters were also asked if they knew about Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives Dennis Bonnen’s controversial meeting where he asked the leader of a political action committee for political favors in June.
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Secretly recorded audio from that meeting was released early in October, and Bonnen has since announced he would not seek reelection as State Representative of District 25, and subsequently, as Speaker of the House.
The poll showed half of Texas voters knew nothing about it, 18% said they know a little, and 31% indicated that they had heard “some” or “a lot.”
“While the difficulties that have led the speaker to decide not to run for reelection have captivated those who follow politics closely, the matter hasn’t captured widespread attention from Texans,” Henson said.
