From the Left: Where Democratic voters want Texas leaders’ focus

A Mandate for Affordability, Access, and Future Opportunity

The Texas 2036 9th Voter Poll highlights Democrat voters’ consistent focus on expanding access to essential services and opportunity. Affordability — from medical bills to childcare — defines their policy outlook.

Across the electorate, 82% of Texans say they would be more likely to support a candidate committed to reducing health care prices. Among Democrats, that number rises to 88%, and 83% of Democrat voters also emphasize making it easier to navigate the health care system.

Democrat women in particular stand out: 89% list affordable health care as a top issue, and 50% say they have postponed treatment due to cost uncertainty, which is significantly greater than the 37% of total Texas voters who reported skipping care.

Education and Childcare as Core Investments

Education policy remains a leading motivator for Democrat voters:

• 73% are more likely to support candidates committed to improving accountability in public education, underscoring that oversight resonates across partisan lines.
• 87% of Democrats, however, say they also would be more likely to vote for a candidate who prioritizes increasing public school funding, compared to 69% of voters statewide.
• 80% say reducing childcare costs would make them more likely to support a candidate — a top-five issue for Democrats under 50, which would include working parents and women.

Meanwhile, 84% of Democrat voters would be more likely to vote for a candidate interested in boosting college affordability and student outcomes, reflecting concern for long-term mobility in an era of rising costs.

Economic Pressure and Community Stability

When asked about cost-of-living stress, 79% of all Texans said property insurance costs have increased, with 77% of Democrat voters reporting an increase in their insurance costs over the past five years.

Similarly, 32% of Democrat voters cite the rising cost of insurance as their top disaster-related concern (ahead of concerns around the impact of natural disasters on their community, damage to their property, or the possibility of leaving their home forever), aligning closely with Democratic voters’ emphasis on affordability.

On economic confidence, 52% of Democrat voters say they feel confident they could find a good-paying job in Texas, with confidence highest among younger Democrats under 35 (58%) and male Democrats (55%).

The Tone of Leadership

Democrat voters seem more inclined toward collaboration, with 43% preferring leaders who work with those they disagree with to find solutions. Statewide, however, a majority of voters (56%) favor candidates who “fight for their beliefs.”

Similarly, when thinking about politics and the future, 56% of Democrat voters expressed concerns over a society where people can’t resolve their differences. Democrat voters also expressed the greatest concern about political violence occurring (92%), with female Democrat voters’ concern rising to 94%.

Common Priorities Across Party Lines

Despite contrasting frames, Democrats and Republicans converge on the essentials: 82% of all Texans favor lowering health care prices, 79% back reducing homeowner’s insurance expenses, and 78% support improving disaster response. These shared aims show that while partisanships differ in rhetoric, most Texans agree on the practical work their leaders must do: making life more affordable, education more effective, and communities more resilient for the next generation.

For a deeper look at the issues energizing Republican voters, from education to public safety, read our companion blog, “From the Right: What Republican Voters Want Texas Leaders to Focus On.”