Beto O'Rourke

He has been the Texas Democratic Party’s great hope. But after failed runs for senator, president and governor, observers wonder if he has a political future.

Gov. Abbott has been able capitalize on polling that shows immigration remains a top concern for Texans, even as abortion, school safety and gun violence compete for voters’ attention.

The 11-point margin is one of the wider advantages Abbott has registered among likely voters in a public survey yet. Abbott had a smaller 5-point advantage in the last UT poll, which was done in August, though that was among registered voters.

The debate from the Rio Grande Valley took place as O’Rourke continues to trail in the polls.

The Democratic gubernatorial challenger has been drawing sizable crowds – and protests – on the campaign trail.

The latest survey also gave Republican incumbents single-digit leads in two other statewide races. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick led Democrat Mike Collier by 7 points, and Attorney General Ken Paxton registered a 5-point advantage over Democrat Rochelle Garza.

Immigration policy, abortion and gun control are among the top issues impacting the race.

The governor said Tuesday he has agreed to debate O’Rourke, his Democratic opponent, on Sept. 30 in the Rio Grande Valley.

O’Rourke is hammering Abbott over vouchers on the campaign trail in rural Texas, where Democrats know they need to do better and where vouchers are a political hot potato for Republicans.

The Democratic gubernatorial hopeful kicked off his 49-day Drive for Texas campaign — a 5,600-mile trek with stops across the state — in El Paso Tuesday night and pulled no punches in his verbal assault against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.