U.S. Senate Candidate Rick Noriega Latest Polling Info

Rasmussen's latest polling information on the U.S. Sentate race in Texas between incumbent U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) and Texas State Legislator Rick Noriega (D) shows that, despite a serious fundraising disadvantage, Rick Noriega remains competitive with John Cornyn for the Texas U.S. Senate seat:

The latest Rasmussen Report telephone survey in the Lone Star State finds Republican Incumbent John Cornyn leading Democratic State Legislator Rick Noriega 47% to 37%. When “leaners” are included, Cornyn leads 50% to 39%. The incumbent senator is viewed favorably by 55% of voters and unfavorably by 31%. Noriega’s numbers are 45% favorable and 33% unfavorable. July marks the second straight month that support for the incumbent has dropped below 50%. Last month, Cornyn had a 48% to 35% lead. Incumbents who poll below 50% are generally considered vulnerable. Cornyn polled better in early June, when he led the democrat 52% to 35%. Though Cornyn’s lead has decreased this month, his numbers among unaffiliated voters have improved. The Republican now leads 41% to 24% among those voters. Support from his own party fell slightly this month, from 85% to 81%. On the other side of the aisle, Noreiga is now backed by 79% of Democrats, up from 68% last month. The Republican now leads by fourteen percentage points among men and seven points among women, representing little change from last month.

Noriega's struggle, as it has been throughout his campaign for the Texas U.S. Senate seat, is to raise enough money to buy radio and TV spots to make himself more widely known to voters across Texas, which, as we know, is a very big state.

Cornyn's campaign is flush with money. Among his contributors, according to the Burnt Orange Report, John Cornyn has accepted donations from indicted Alaskan Senator Ted Steven's leadership PAC.

For two months running Cornyn has polled below 50% while more than half of Republican voters now believe that their Republican leaders, who have controlled America's direction for eight years, have taken the country down the wrong track (55%), up from 51% in June, according to a July 2008 Reuters/Zogby national poll of likely voters. On top of those facts, add that Senator Obama's presidential polling numbers are also within competitive striking distance in Texas and there's clearly an opening for Noreiga, if he can pull together the campaign contributions to stay competitive.

On the topic of campaign contributions -- The Texas Democratic Women of Collin County (TDWCC) recently endorsed Texas State Legislator Rick Noriega for the office of U.S. Senate. TDWCC membership voted to make a $1000 contribution to Noriega's campaign coffers on July 23, 2008. The picture at left shows Stephen Sargent accepting the $1000 contribution from Barb Walters, TDWCC President, on behalf of Rick Noriega's campaign on July 28 at the organization's monthly membership meeting.

Rick Noriega will speak at the Democatic Party of Collin County's Ann Richard's Dinner and fundraiser at the Heritage Ranch Country Club in McKinney, TX on August 16, 2008.

Texas Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega has served in the Texas House of Representatives and is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard. Noriega was deployed to Afghanistan for one year and served as deputy garrison commander of the KMTC training facility in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Watch Noriega's YouTube videos displayed in the right sidebar of this blog page and watch the video below to get to know him a little!!

Candidate for U.S. Senate,
Texas State Representative,
Military Veteran of War, and
Lieutenant Colonel - Texas Army National Guard