Houston, Texas – According to a recent poll by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston, most Texans have positive opinions of well-known personalities including entrepreneur Elon Musk, President Donald Trump, and Governor Greg Abbott, so demonstrating the political environment of Texas. The poll also shows a strong push among Texans for major election changes and more government openness before the 2025 Texas Legislature session.
The poll revealed that 56% of respondents had a positive view of Governor Greg Abbott, while 31% viewing him very favorably. In contrast, 55% of those polled gave former President Donald Trump a positive nod; among them, 38% rated as very favorable. Entrepreneur Elon Musk also received a good response from 53% of respondents, with 26% indicating a very favorable impression.
Aiming to reflect popular opinion on a variety of topics, the poll asked 1,200 Texas residents between January 13–21, 2025. It also looked at Texans’ opinions of the way the 2024 elections were run, finding that 62% of respondents think their local county elections were handled rather effectively. Although opinions on national election administration were somewhat less favorable, with 47% believing they were managed very well, 56% of states expressed this positive attitude.
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The poll specifically underlined a general agreement on suggested changes meant to improve the integrity and openness of elections. With considerable bipartisan support from both Republicans (94%), and Democrats (78%), a noteworthy 86% of Texans support demanding evidence of citizenship for voter registration. Further supported by 86% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats, 83% of respondents want a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying by local governments.
Supported by 77% of respondents, other important improvements that attracted support were the creation of an independent redistricting commission and the adoption of a neutral judicial appointment process. Reflecting a shared goal across the political spectrum for policies that would promote fairer and more transparent governance, these ideas likewise attracted strong bipartisan support.
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The poll also found a clear loss of trust in many levels of government, but general satisfaction with the 2024 elections and support for particular changes. About one in three Texans believe their federal, state, county, and municipal governments as well as their Independent School Districts (ISDs) to most of the time behave in the best interests of the public.
On the other hand, 54% of Texans believe that their state is headed in the right direction, compared to just 39% of those who feel similarly about the direction of the United States. Among Republicans, 76% of whom are hopeful about Texas’s future, this attitude is especially strong; among Democrats, just 36% share this opinion.
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Using a YouGov panel, this survey—which is part of a series by the Hobby School of Public Affairs examining important concerns for the forthcoming legislative session—was performed in both English and Spanish. With a margin of uncertainty of +/- 2.83%, the results mirror the demographic composition of the Texas adult population. As Texas gets ready for the 2026 Republican U.S. Senate primary, the insights from this poll will likely influence discussions and legislative objectives in the state in not-too-distant future.
