A poll released Thursday by Emerson College and The Hill indicates that Democratic candidates hold narrow leads in the U.S. Senate races in Texas and Michigan. The results show close contests in both states as the midterm election cycle continues.
In the Texas Senate race, the survey found Democratic challenger James Talarico with a one-percentage-point lead over Republican nominee Ken Paxton. Paxton secured the Republican nomination after defeating incumbent John Cornyn in the party’s primary.
The poll’s findings in the Michigan Senate race show Democrat Abdul El-Sayed with 48% of respondent support, compared to 46% for Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman. According to the poll’s demographic data, Rogers leads among voters without a college degree and older residents, while El-Sayed holds an advantage with registered independents.
The survey also included results for the Texas gubernatorial contest. In that race, incumbent Republican Governor Greg Abbott leads Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa by three percentage points, according to the poll.
The polling data was released as candidates continue their campaign efforts nationwide. In a related development, Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida released a new campaign advertisement in which she directly addresses President Donald Trump on immigration policy.
In the ad, Salazar states, “Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.” She later adds, “The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”
Salazar’s message in the advertisement continued, “You can be for immigration what Lincoln was for slavery and Reagan was for communism. I’m not talking about giving them amnesty. I’m talking about giving them a dignified life in this promised land.”
The advertisement mentions the portion of people recently detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who had no criminal record.
