Poll: Cruz leads Democratic opponent by 5 points

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is ahead of his Democratic opponent, Rep. Beto O’Rourke (Texas), by 5 points in a new poll.

Forty-one percent of registered voters would cast a ballot for Cruz if the election took place today, while 36 percent would support O’Rourke, according to a survey by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune.

O’Rourke, who has represented Texas’ 16th Congressional district since 2013, won the Democratic primary in March. But he faces a tough race against Cruz, who gained national attention during his failed 2016 big for the Republican presidential nomination.

{mosads}While Cruz is leading O’Rourke in the poll, the Republican senator has a higher unfavorable rating.

Forty-two percent of voters in the survey said they had an unfavorable opinion of Cruz; 41 percent said they had a favorable view of the Texas senator. Ten percent of respondents said they were neutral, and 7 percent said they did not know.

For O’Rourke, 37 percent of respondents view him favorably, compared with 24 percent who said they have an unfavorable view of the Democratic lawmaker. Sixteen percent said they were neutral, and 24 percent said they did not know.

The two candidates will face off in the November general election.

The online poll surveyed 1,200 registered voters June 8-17 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percentage points.