Poll: Texas voters want candidates focused on everyday challenges

As Texas heads toward a pivotal election with Texas’ statewide leaders on the ballot, voters are delivering a clear message: they want practical solutions that make life more affordable and ensures Texas’ prosperity remains secure.

According to Texas 2036’s 9th Texas Voter Poll, large majorities of Texans say they’re more likely to support candidates who focus on tangible, day-to-day challenges. Reducing health care prices (82%) and homeowners’ insurance (79%) top the list, followed closely by improving disaster response (78%) and reducing property taxes (78%).

Across the board, Texans are signaling that results-oriented policymaking that reduces pocketbook pressures will drive their votes.

Health Care Prices: Affordability as a Shared Priority

Rising health care costs unite Texans across communities and political lines.

• More than 4-out-of-5 voters (82%) prefer candidates with plans to reduce health care prices, with a candidate’s attention to that issue only dissuading 10% of voters. This +72 percentage point margin was the largest identified in our poll.
• Women (especially suburban women) led enthusiasm: 85% said they’d be more likely to support a candidate prioritizing affordable health care prices, compared to 75% of rural men.
• By income, those earning under $60,000 were most motivated (84%) — but even high earners ($160K+) expressed 72% support, showing broad consensus across brackets.

Takeaway: Texans see health care affordability as a universal concern, and they expect state leaders to deliver measurable cost relief.

Homeowners’ Insurance: The Next Front in Cost-of-Living Pressures

Homeowners’ insurance has quietly become one of the most pressing affordability issues in Texas.

• Nearly 4-out-of-5 voters (79%) prefer candidates with plans to reduce homeowners insurance costs, just barely passing property taxes (78%) as the top housing affordability concern in our poll.
• Support was highest among suburban women (85%), seniors (85%), and homeowners (83%). Renters were less moved by this issue (68%), but it still ranked in their top five cost-of-living concerns.
• Partisan differences were minimal: Democrats (81%), Republicans (77%), and Independents (80%) all viewed it as a top priority.

Bottom Line: homeowners’ insurance reforms could become one of the most visible indicators of whether leaders are addressing Texans’ financial realities.

Disaster Preparedness: Unity Around Resilience

In a state shaped by hurricanes, wildfires, and extreme heat, preparedness isn’t a partisan issue, but a shared necessity.

• Republicans (77%), Independents (79%), and Democrats (81%) show near-uniform agreement — one of the most cross-partisan items in the poll.
• Support climbs to 84% among Gulf Coast residents and 80% among voters aged 55+, underscoring how lived disaster experience heightens priority.

What this means: investments in infrastructure and emergency preparedness remain one of the clearest ways to build cross-partisan confidence and trust.

Property Taxes: Still Top of Mind

Even after multiple legislative sessions targeting tax relief, Texans still feel the weight of property taxes.

• Among homeowners, 81% said they’d be more likely to vote for a candidate focused on reducing taxes, compared to 69% of renters.
• Higher-income households ($100K+) showed the strongest preference (85%), while support among those under $60K was still high at 73%.

Insight: despite progress, voters’ continued emphasis on property taxes underscores the ongoing need for sustainable and transparent reforms.

From Poll to Policy: Turning Voter Priorities Into Action

Texans are aligned on what matters most: reducing pocketbook pressures, improving readiness, and focusing on achievable results. These findings reinforce a theme that runs through much of Texas 2036’s work: voters value measurable progress over partisan positioning.

Heading into the next legislative cycle, state leaders have a roadmap grounded in voter consensus. Addressing these issues will not only meet Texans where they are but move the state forward together.