Texas Legislature Earns Dismal Approval Ratings as Economic Concerns Overshadow Border Issues

Only 22% of Texans approve of lawmakers' performance, while Trump's support erodes across all voter groups

Only about one in four Texans approve of how state lawmakers performed during the recently concluded 89th legislative session, according to new polling data from the University of Texas's nonpartisan Texas Politics Project, which reveals widespread dissatisfaction with the Republican leadership's priorities and effectiveness. The survey found that 37% of Texans said the Legislature made their lives "somewhat worse" or "a lot worse," while just 22% expressed approval of lawmakers' overall performance during the session that wrapped up earlier this month.

The polling results suggest a growing disconnect between the Republican-controlled statehouse and Texas voters, even as some bipartisan measures received strong public support. Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project and a professor of government at the University of Texas, characterized the reviews as "not glowing" during an interview with Texas Standard.

Sharp Decline in Legislative Confidence

The Texas Politics Project polling reveals a troubling picture for state Republican leadership, with only 3% of respondents saying the Legislature made their lives "a lot better" and another 19% indicating "somewhat better." The plurality of Texans — 37% — reported that legislative actions actually worsened their circumstances.

"The reviews, as you alluded to, were not glowing," Henson told Texas Standard. "But the plurality, 37%, said that the Legislature made their lives somewhat worse or a lot worse. Now there's some partisan structure in there as you might expect, but overall, not rave reviews".

The polling data reflects broader concerns about legislative priorities during a session that focused heavily on cultural issues, while many Texans continue struggling with economic pressures and basic government services.

Republican Split on THC Ban Reveals Internal Tensions

One of the most surprising findings involved public opinion on the THC ban that Governor Greg Abbott ultimately vetoed last weekend after a prolonged internal Republican dispute with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The polling showed that a slim majority of Texans opposed the ban, but more significantly, Texas Republicans were deeply divided on the issue.

Among Republican voters, 46% supported the THC ban while 39% opposed it, with 15% undecided. This internal division helps explain Abbott's calculated decision-making process, which ultimately led to the rejection of the legislation that Patrick had championed.

"The balance here is very much up for grabs. And that's why I think we saw Governor Abbott think pretty long and hard about how to handle the bill once it made it to his desk," Henson observed during the Texas Standard interview.

"The balance here is very much up for grabs. And that's why I think we saw Governor Abbott think pretty long and hard about how to handle the bill once it made it to his desk." — Jim Henson, Texas Politics Project Director

Abbott has called a special session to address THC regulation more comprehensively, indicating that the issue remains a live political concern that could continue to create friction between the governor and lieutenant governor.

Bipartisan Success Stories Offer Political Lessons

Despite overall dissatisfaction, the polling identified several areas where the Legislature achieved broad public support across party lines. At least two-thirds of Texans supported approximately half a dozen "meat and potatoes" issues that lawmakers addressed during the session.

The most popular legislative action involved improving the reliability of the state's water supply, which garnered 84% public support. Creating a dementia prevention and research institute received 78% approval, while increasing public education funding earned 74% support. Similar levels of support emerged for lowering property taxes and restricting children's access to social media.

Perhaps most notably, 68% of Texans supported legislative clarifications about when doctors can perform legal abortions when a woman's life is at risk — a highly controversial issue that nonetheless achieved broad public backing when framed around medical safety.

These findings suggest that Texans respond positively to pragmatic governance focused on basic services and clear policy guidance, rather than divisive cultural battles that dominated much of the session's public attention.

Trump's Texas Honeymoon Period Ends

President Donald Trump's approval ratings in Texas have declined significantly since April, according to the new polling data. Trump now sits at 44% approval and 51% disapproval among Texas voters — a seven-point underwater margin that represents considerable movement from his near-even 47-46 split in April polling.

"What we saw was a little bit of erosion in every group," Henson explained. "Probably most notably, he's still over 80% job approval among Republicans. So it's not like he's in trouble. But the honeymoon period after a tumultuous first few months, I think, is definitely over".

The decline appears driven by economic concerns rather than immigration issues, even in border-focused Texas. Henson noted that while Trump maintains strong Republican support, financial anxiety is reshaping the political terrain across voter groups.

Economic Worries Reshape Political Landscape

The polling reveals that economic concerns are increasingly overshadowing immigration and border security as primary voter concerns, even in Texas, where border issues traditionally dominate political discourse. This shift may explain both legislative approval problems and Trump's declining support.

"As people remain concerned about the economy, it's not pushing immigration and border security off the table, but to the degree that the border is quiet and the economy is still a source of a lot of doubt and anxiety, the economy has really changed the terrain for a lot of Texans, in particular Texas Republicans," Henson observed.

This economic focus could force Republican leaders to recalibrate their priorities heading into future sessions, potentially emphasizing bread-and-butter issues over cultural wedge topics that generated headlines but failed to address voters' primary concerns.

Lessons for Future Governance

The Texas Politics Project findings offer essential insights for state political leaders as they prepare for upcoming elections and future legislative sessions. The data suggests that Texas voters reward practical governance focused on infrastructure, education, and economic security while growing skeptical of purely ideological approaches.

The stark contrast between low overall approval ratings and strong support for specific bipartisan measures suggests that Texans want their government to focus on solving problems rather than engaging in culture wars. As economic concerns continue dominating voter priorities, successful political leaders may need to demonstrate concrete progress on kitchen-table issues to maintain public confidence.

With Abbott calling additional special sessions and the 2026 election cycle approaching, these polling results provide a roadmap for politicians seeking to reconnect with increasingly frustrated Texas voters, who expect their government to improve their lives, not worsen them.