The Point: A warning sign for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

View this email in your browser   September 29, 2021  | by Lauren Dezenski A warning sign for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott A new poll finds cause for concern for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is seeking reelection in 2022. A historic job approval drop: The GOP governor's job approval rating among registered voters is underwater for the first time since 2018, according to polling from Quinnipiac University, finding 44% of Texans approve of Abbott's work as governor while 47% disapprove.  51% say he does not deserve reelection: When Texas voters are asked about Abbott's reelection prospects, a slight majority (51%) say he does not deserve to be reelected; 42% say he does. That disapproval grew in the last three months: Compare that with June, when voters were split at 48% saying he did not deserve reelection while 46% said he did. Let's go over what happened this summer: Abbott codified laws restricting abortion and banning government vaccine mandates, and grappling with a surge of migrants at the US-Mexico border, among other issues.    Voters give Abbott a thumbs down on his handling of all three hot-button issues:  Situation at the Mexican border: 43% approve, 46% disapprove. Response to the coronavirus: 46% approve, 50% disapprove. Abortion: 37% approve, 53% disapprove. Abbot does get a thumbs up on the economy. A solid 53% of voters approve of his handling of the economy, while 39% disapprove.    There is a silver lining for Abbott in the Quinnipiac poll. Voters may not like him right now, but they dislike other high-profile gubernatorial prospects even more. 50% said they did not think Democrat (and former Senate and presidential candidate) Beto O'Rourke would make a good governor. Nearly the same amount (49%) said they did not think actor Matthew McConaughey, an Austin resident and Texas native, would make a good governor. McConaughey recently said on a podcast that he is "measuring" a run, despite having no party affiliation or stated platform. The Point: Texas voters aren't totally keen on Abbott's reelection, but so far, polling shows they dislike the alternatives even more.   -- Lauren QUOTE OF THE DAY "There's always enough time on Capitol Hill." -- Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington state Democrat, on the tenuous, down-to-the-wire negotiations in Congress over the Biden agenda budget bill and the bipartisan infrastructure deal: "I've seen it happen over and over again, where things get to a point and then all of a sudden things become possible that no one thought was possible. That said, I think (this) is pretty difficult." WEDNESDAY'S TOP TWEETS 1. Awkward!  2. It's so out there, it just might work 3. Meanwhile, in South Dakota 4. What a world, indeed 5. We'll probably get the same answer! LAUREN'S GOOD READS Liz Cheney 2024? CNN's Michael Warren reports, "Liz Cheney is going to New Hampshire. She's getting her political operation in order. And she's raising money like mad from icons of the Republican Party. The Wyoming congresswoman is clearly exploring her political options and power well beyond her congressional district, even if she's not talking openly about a run for president."   BuzzFeed's Addy Baird has a great question about tonight's Congressional Baseball Game: "But isn't it strange, I've been asking Democratic lawmakers, to play against (Rep. Marjorie Taylor) Greene in a charity game about bipartisanship — given, you know, all of it?" In The Washington Post: An Instagram star raised $7 million to evacuate Afghans. Almost half went to flights that were canceled and have not been refunded, the paper found.   Run free! Those five escaped zebras are still on the loose in Maryland, NBC Washington reports.   In The Economist, cow-free meat and milk. MUSICAL INTERLUDE Eddie Vedder is an excellent addition to any road trip playlist (and not just the stuff from his "Into the Wild" album). I'm particularly loving "Long Way." NOTE TO SENDER Americans across the country could start seeing slowdowns in mail delivery across the country as early as Friday, when the US Postal Service implements its new service standards, CNN's Kristen Holmes reports. What it means: The changes, which include longer first-class mail delivery times and cuts to post office hours, are part of embattled Postmaster General Louis DeJoy's 10-year plan for the agency that he unveiled earlier this year. What stays the same: The service changes won't affect about 60% of first-class mail and nearly all periodicals, according to USPS spokeswoman Kim Frum. Within a local area, standard delivery time for single-piece, first-class mail will remain at two days. What takes longer: Mail traveling longer distances will take longer to arrive in some cases, due to the USPS increasing transit time. ONE BIPARTISAN BALL GAME Tune in to the Congressional Baseball Game tonight beginning at 7 Eastern on C-SPAN, as lawmakers from both parties play at Washington's Nationals Park.  You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

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