Texas Governor Rick Perry is holding onto the lead in the intramural battle to run for governor of Texas under the Republican label. His chief opponent, Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) has lost ground, according to polling results from Rasmussen, while a conservative Tea Party candidate is picking up.
According to the latest poll, Perry has 44% support to Hutchison’s 29%, and while Perry is essentially flat since the last thermometer reading, Hutchison has dropped four points.
That is precisely how much Tea Party activist Debra Medina has picked up, rising from 12% to 16% report.
Another Rasmussen poll strongly suggests that the Republican primary is probably the election for this seat. Perry leads likely Democratic candidate, former Houston Mayor Bill White, 48%-39%. Hutchison faces off even better, at 49%-36%. Now even Medina is leading White head-to-head, at 41%-38%.
RBR-TVBR observation: Hutchison was originally planning to exit the Senate last fall to concentrate on this race. She later moved back the date of her resignation to after the 3/2/10 primary, but has never nailed down a specific date. Texas voters seem happy with her where she is. Chances are she’ll change her mind about resigning – stay tuned.
