Debra Medina, a former County Republican Chair from tiny Wharton County, would beat former two-term Houston Mayor and likely Democrat nominee for Governor Bill White, according to a new Rasmussen poll. Houston has a population of over 4 million. The mostly rural, rice-farming Wharton County (El Campo, Boling), near Victoria, has a population of approx. 8 thousand.

From Rasmussen:

The surprise, as in the new Rasmussen Reports survey of the GOP gubernatorial primary, is the growing strength of Debra Medina, a businesswoman active in the state’s Tea Party movement. Medina now edges White 41% to 38%. Last month, White had a 44% to 38% lead on her. In this contest, six percent (6%) favor some other candidate, but a more sizable 16% are undecided.

Medina has received praise for injecting a hardline Ron Paul-like line into the Texas GOP primary calling for outright secession, and massive downsizing and elimination of state government programs.

Of course, frontrunner Gov. Rick Perry would fare well against White, 48% to 39%, and 2nd place holder Kay B. Hutchison racks up an even better score, 49% to 36% score.