Texans aren't feeling great about their personal financial situation — 39% of respondents in the latest University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll said it is worse off than the previous year.
Why it matters: Economic turbulence provides an opening to the party out of power, further evidence that 2026 could be a strong year nationally for Democrats.
Zoom in: Concern about health care costs topped Texans' economic worries, with 67% of voters largely across the political spectrum reporting being "very concerned" about costs.
By the numbers: 35% said their personal financial situation is about the same, while 24% said it's better than it was a year ago.
Yes, but: Gov. Greg Abbott has touted the state's economy, announcing last week that Texas gained 146,300 jobs from November 2024 to November 2025, the highest of any state.
Texas' unemployment rate is 4.2%, compared to the national rate of 4.4%.
The bottom line: As an incisive political consultant once observed, "It's the economy, stupid."
Methodology: The survey of 1,200 registered Texas voters was conducted Dec. 9-16. Results have a margin of error of +/-2.83%.
