Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval rating is rising amid border confrontation with Biden administration

Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval rating has rebounded to its highest point in nearly four years as he clashes with the Biden administration over the southern border, according to a recent poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. The poll, conducted earlier this month, found that 53% of Texas registered voters approve of Abbott’s performance as governor. That’s up from 48% in December. It is also Abbott’s strongest showing in the Texas Politics Project’s polling since April 2020, the first full month of the COVID pandemic, when 56% approved of the Republican governor’s job performance. Abbott gained ground from the December poll among voters in both parties. Twenty-seven percent of Democrats approved of his job performance in this month’s survey, up from 19%. And 83% of Republicans approved of him in the recent poll, compared to 78% in December.

The latest poll was conducted from Feb. 2 through Feb. 12, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for federal authorities to remove razor wire that Texas officials had strung along the banks of the Rio Grande to deter migrants from crossing. It also came after state soldiers seized control of Shelby Park, a key border area near the Eagle Pass International Bridge. Abbott says the Biden administration is helping migrants cross the river by cutting the razor wire, while federal officials say they are trying to prevent injuries to migrants who can legally claim asylum once on U.S. soil. The third-term governor has emerged as a leading voice in the country’s immigration debate, drawing praise from fellow GOP governors and influential conservative commentators. Democrats have accused Abbott of using anti-immigrant rhetoric and interfering with the federal government’s immigration enforcement to score political points. President Joe Biden’s approval rating also saw a modest rebound in the Texas Politics Project’s latest poll, going from 38% approval in December to 42% this month. But his approach to immigration and border security remains unpopular among Texas voters, with just 30% saying they approve of how he’s handled those areas. Voters voiced nearly the opposite view of Abbott on immigration, with 54% approving of his approach to the issue.