Poll: Medina's Support Slips In Texas GOP Primary, Hurt By Truther Comments

A new survey of the Texas Republican gubernatorial primary by Public Policy Polling (D) finds that tea party activist Debra Medina has lost some support, and could possibly have been hurt by comments that seemed to indicate that she might be a 9/11 Truther.

The numbers: Incumbent Gov. Rick Perry 40%, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison 31%, and Medina 20%. Three weeks ago, the numbers were Perry 39%, Hutchison 28%, and Medina 24%, with Hutchison in serious serious danger of falling into third place and missing out on a spot in the expected April 13 runoff.

About two weeks ago, Medina was asked during an appearance on Glenn Beck's radio show whether she believed in 9/11 conspiracy theories. "I think some very good questions have been raised in that regard, there are some very good arguments and I think the American people have not seen all the evidence there, so I have not taken a position on that," said Medina.

Later that day she quickly backed away from the implications of her statement, saying that she has never believed the U.S. government was involved in 9/11. But she also said in a separate interview: "The 9/11 Commission report, you know, great sections of that are redacted and they're top secret. "That makes us all wonder, 'well what's happening back there?' The same is true with the birth certificate thing. I think it's healthy that people are asking questions."

PPP communications director Tom Jensen writes: "Fair or not the issue of whether Medina is a 'truther'- someone who thinks the federal government was involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks- seems to be hurting her. 21% of primary voters think she subscribes to that theory while another 29% are unsure. Among that half of the electorate Medina is getting just 7% with 51% going to Perry and 30% to Hutchison. Medina actually leads with the half that does not think she is a truther, with 33% to 32% for Hutchison and 29% for Perry."

The poll also finds that Rick Perry would start off as the heavy favorite to win the GOP runoff. Matched up against Hutchison, he leads by 52%-35%. Against Medina, he leads by 55%-36%.