Greg Abbott Backed by Texans on Floating Barriers Despite Outcry

More Texans support Governor Greg Abbott‘s controversial decision to put floating barriers in the Rio Grande than those who oppose it, according to a new poll conducted for Newsweek.

{snip}

The barriers, made up of a line of wrecking ball-size buoys with serrated discs that have been likened to circular saws between them, have been condemned by Texas Democrats and human rights groups, as well as Mexican authorities, who have voiced safety concerns.

{snip}

Despite the backlash, Texans appear to back Abbott on the controversial issue, with a total of 49 percent of respondents to the exclusive Redfield & Wilton Strategies/Newsweek poll saying they either strongly supported (26 percent) or supported (23 percent) the decision to erect the floating barriers.

Some 15 percent of respondents neither opposed nor supported the decision, while a total of 28 percent either strongly opposed it (21 percent) or opposed it (7 percent). Some 7 percent didn’t know how they felt about it.

{snip}

Texans are generally happy about the way Abbott is handling immigration in the state, with 42 percent either strongly approving (25 percent) or approving (17 percent) of his job on the issue. A total of 37 percent strongly disapproved (11 percent) or disapproved (26 percent).

They are, in fact, even happier than they were last year, when the number of Texans approving of the Republican governor’s job on tackling immigration was 2 percentage points lower, at 40 percent.

{snip}