Rural Texans have grown much gloomier about the economy over the past year, and some farmers say high fuel and fertilizer costs have them uneasy about the Republican candidates they usually support, the Houston Chronicle reported in an article published Saturday.
The Chronicle cited a Texas Politics Project poll released this week that found 27% of rural residents satisfied with the economy this month, down from 42% a year earlier. The same poll ranked inflation, political corruption and the economy, in that order, as Texas voters' top issues, a change from the 2022 and 2024 elections, when immigration and border security were near the top.
Costs on the farm
Jerry Moody, a 57-year-old chicken farmer in East Texas, told the paper that fuel and fertilizer prices driven by the war with Iran were hurting farmers. He said he plans to vote and still supports President Donald Trump, but he worries some neighbors may not turn out.
"They're not going to vote for a Democrat but they're concerned about the Republican party," Moody said.
Russell Boening, president of the Texas Farm Bureau, compared the current economy to the worst stretches he has seen. He said voters might stick with their usual choices or might stay home.
Texas has an estimated 400,000 farmers, the Chronicle reported, a small share of the state's voters but an important group for Gov. Greg Abbott, U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton and other Republicans in a midterm expected to be close.
