Getty Ted Cruz vs Beto O'Rourke
The countdown is ticking on Election Day 2018 across the nation, including a heated contest between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke in Texas. As Texans head to the polls, here’s a look at the latest Cruz vs. Beto polls released just before election day.
According to RealClearPolitics, the latest poll results show Ted Cruz leading Beto O’Rourke, with one poll showing that the two are tied. Some of the polls showed Cruz leading within the poll’s margin of error and others show Cruz with a comfortable lead. The results have been close enough that the race itself could still go to either candidate. Here’s a look at all the latest poll results.
Trafalgar Group [11/3-11/5]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 52 | 2.1 |
| O’Rourke | 43 |
Change Research [11/1-11/2]
(Note: Change Research’s poll is listed on FiveThirtyEight’s site but not on RealClearPolitics’ site.)
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 49 | 1.5 |
| O’Rourke | 49 |
Emerson [10/28-10/30]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 50 | 3.7 |
| O’Rourke | 47 |
CBS 11/Dixie Strategies [10/25-10/26]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 52 | 4.0 |
| O’Rourke | 42 |
Quinnipiac [10/22-10/28]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 51 | 3.5 |
| O’Rourke | 46 |
UT/Texas Tribune [10/15-10/21]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 51 | 3.2 |
| O’Rourke | 45 |
CNN [10/9-10/13]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 52 | 4.5 |
| O’Rourke | 45 |
NY Times/Siena [10/8-10/11]
| Candidate | VOTE % | Margin of Error |
| Cruz | 51 | 3.6 |
| O’Rourke | 43 |
You can track Texas election results for the Cruz vs. Beto race on Politico’s page here.
The Cruz vs. Beto race has been heated and, at time, contentious. The two squared off in two televised debates, with a third debate canceled due to the Kavanaugh vote in Washington, D.C. O’Rourke has been campaigning around the country, including a rally in Austin that was headlined by Willie Nelson and attended by nearly 55,000 people. Meanwhile, Cruz just recently appeared in Houston with President Donald Trump for a rally there, and about 16,000 people gathered inside the arena and 15,000 were outside.
Today, polls across Texas will close around 7 p.m. local time. It’s important to note that this is 7 p.m. local time, no matter what time zone you are in, El Paso Times reported. In other words, if you’re in a Central time zone in Texas, the polls will close at 7 p.m. Central. If you’re on Mountain Standard Time in El Paso, polls will close at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, an hour behind the Central polls’ closing. But even at 7 p.m., many polls will stay open. Texas is legally required to remain open if people are waiting to enter the polling location at 7 p.m., so this means results could come in much later if there is a long line.
Early election results could start being released as early as 7 p.m. Central after the first polls close, and this includes early results for the Ted Cruz-Beto O’Rourke election. But results will continue to be updated over time.
Turnout in Texas has been especially high because of the O’Rourke-Cruz race this midterm. The Texas Secretary of State announced that in the 30 largest counties, 4.9 million votes had already been cast during early voting. That is greater than the entire 2014 statewide voting turnout.