DALLAS — Gov. Greg Abbott has increased his lead to nine points over Democrat challenger Beto O'Rourke in a new poll released Monday.
Abbott led O'Rourke 47%-38% in the latest polling from the University of Texas at Tyler and The Dallas Morning News.
The poll surveyed 1,268 registered voters from Sept. 6-13, asking who they'd cast their vote for governor. The poll options included Abbott, O'Rourke, Green Party nominee Delilah Barrios, Libertarian nominee Mark Tippetts and someone else.
The poll increased Abbott's lead in the poll from seven points in August - 46%-39% - to nine points this month. Election Day is Nov. 8.
A poll released last week by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin showed Abbott with a five-point lead over Abbott, receiving 45% support compared to 40% for O'Rourke.
In the new poll released Monday, Abbott gained ground among Independent voters, from 31% in August to 35% this month.
O'Rourke also gained among Independent voters, up from 34% to 36%, but he lost four points among Latino voters, from 45% to 41% and four points among Democrats, from 81% to 77%.
O'Rourke's favorability dipped slightly while Abbott's approval rose slightly over the last month.
In August, 23% of people polled had a "very favorable" impression of O'Rourke and 20% had a "somewhat favorable" impression. Those numbers ticked down to 21% and 19%, respectively.
Abbott's approval rating in the August poll was at 21% for "strongly approve" and 26% for "approve." Those numbers increase to 25% for "strongly approve," and ticked down a point, to 25% for "approve."
Barrios and Tippetts both earned 3% in the poll, 6% of voters opted for "someone else," and 2% said they did not know.