A new Zogby poll suggests that the GOP could pick up a seat in TX-22. The Rep. candidate leads the Democratic incumbent by 17 points.
U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford, trailed Republican challenger Pete Olson by 17 percentage points early last week, according to the survey by Zogby International. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
U.S. Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, led Democratic challenger Michael Skelly more modestly, by 7 percentage points, with virtually the same margin of error.
In both Republican-friendly districts, a key factor appeared to be the Democratic candidates’ inability to run strong among independent voters and cut deeply into the ranks of Republican voters.
In the 22nd Congressional District, represented by Lampson after the 2006 resignation of Republican powerhouse Tom DeLay, only 5 percent of Republican voters in the survey had defected to Lampson.
Lampson led Olson among independents, 45 percent to 39 percent. But only 16 percent in the poll identified themselves as independent; while 52 percent said Republican and 32 percent said Democrat.
Tags: Pete Olson, TX-22
