NEW UT-TYLER POLL - A new poll conducted by the University of Texas at Tyler in partnership with the Dallas Morning News was released this week. 1,271 respondents of the poll were from all over Texas and they gave their views on a variety of questions ranging from the pandemic, to national and state political leadership.
Mark Owens is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Texas at Tyler. He had this to say when respondents were asked about Governor Greg Abbott’s role during the recent winter storm that hit Texas and his handling of the pandemic.
"The poll shows that Governor Abbott still has a majority approval in the state,"Owens said. "It is a little bit lower, 2% lower than it was in October before the election. However his 52% approval rating, that's on both his coronavirus response as well as the perceived response to the electricity outtages across the state. "
It’s important to note that the poll was taken before Governor Abbott’s lifting the Mask Mandate and most business restrictions. But Owens did share what people had to say about wearing masks.
"But when we look at all of the respondents and those who gave only one answer, we actually found that only 8% of the people said they only wore a mask because there was a statewide mandate for them to do so." Mark Owens, PhD, UT Tyler assistant professor of political science
"83% of those who wear a mask do it for their own personal reasons, to protect themselves, to protect others," Owens explained. "50% do it because of local businesses supporting this, and then 30% because of that mandate. But when we look at all of the respondents and those who gave only one answer, we actually found that only 8% of the people said they only wore a mask because there was a statewide mandate for them to do so."
It is also worth noting that when people were asked about how well the Biden Administration has been performing so far, Owens said 47% responded favorably which is a higher rating than previous Texas polls gave former President Donald Trump while he was in office when those polls were taken from 2018 through 2019.
