A recent statewide poll shows that the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is tight in Texas. The Republican presidential nominee is only sitting on a seven-point lead over his Democratic rival in what’s normally a reliably red state.
But that same poll showed 17 percent of Texas voters haven’t made up their minds yet. That has the guys heading up the Clinton and Trump campaigns in Texas counting on tonight’s debate to start tipping the scales toward their candidates.
Ryan Poppe with Texas Public Radio:
“Gary Mauro, the head of Clinton’s Texas campaign is hoping Clinton will help persuade some of the undecideds by convincing them that she is the candidate who can bring the country together and best represent Texas values.
Mauro says Trump is too divisive for a state as diverse as Texas.
“Trump is appealing to people’s worst instincts and if [Clinton] can continue to appeal to people’s best instincts and talking about how together we can solve any problem,” Mauro says, “well that’s what Texans want to hear.”
Dan Patrick, Trump’s campaign chairman in Texas, claims the billionaire continues to win over conservative Texas Democrats and undecided Republicans.
“His message of a conservative supreme court, securing the border, creating jobs, standing for school choice, taking on ISIS that resonates with not only every Republican – but Independents – that he is doing well with conservative Democrats,” Patrick says.
“The unconventional, close contest is expected to draw over 100 million viewers rivaling the 2015 Super Bowl audience,” Ryan Poppe says. “More than 15 million Texans are expected to be glued to the TVs and other live broadcasts.”
Even though 17 percent of Texas voters said they’re still undecided on the presidential race – at least one Odessan seems to have made up their mind.
The Odessa American reports that someone has been plucking Trump signs out of people’s front yards. No one has reported the sign thief to the police, but residents say the political pilfering is super annoying and it violates property rights. One life-long resident told the paper it reflects the sorry state of our political climate where people don’t respect each other’s political views.
This afternoon two Fort Worth teenagers are going to be on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Max Akin and K.L. Norwood got national attention a couple of weeks ago during homecoming at Keller Fossil Ridge High School. Akin, the school’s quarterback, was crowned homecoming king, but instead of keeping the crown for himself, he gave it to his friend and team equipment manager Norwood. Norwood, who has cerebral palsy, was also nominated.
Akin told Degeneres why he gave his friend the crown:
“People are getting it mixed up thinking I gave him the crown because he has CP – but in fact, that’s not it at all,” Akin says. “I see him as a great human being. As a homecoming king, you should really be able to make people happy and give good vibes around the room and K.L. never fails to do that.”
And spoiler alert: both high school seniors left the interview with some scholarship money for college.
