Rick Perry Trails by a Lot ... in Texas

The polls haven't exactly been kind to Rick Perry of late, but this one has to smart: Public Policy Polling now has the Texas governor in third place in his home state. That's a huge reversal from September, when he led Mitt Romney there by 39 points. In the latest figures, Romney has 24%, Newt Gingrich 23%, and Perry just 18%, down 31 points. In the fall, Perry beat Romney in a one-on-one matchup 72-18. Now he trails 46-45.

Fellow Texan Ron Paul is in fifth at 12%, but he's never been a factor in the state's presidential polls. What's more, 39% say Perry's campaign has had a negative impact on the state's image, while only 28% say the same of Paul. PPP's analysis: "Perry's presidential campaign is doing about as bad in Texas now as it is everywhere else in the country." (More Rick Perry 2012 stories.)