State's rights enthusiast and Tea Party patriot Rick Perry has expanded his lead in the Texas Republican Primary over his nearest rival moderate-to-conservative Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. As little as two months ago, he had been behind Hutchison in some statewide polls by 4 to 5%.

According to Rasmussen:

Rick Perry 44%

Kay Bailey Hutchison 29%

Debra Medina 16%

Perry actually went up a point, while Hutchison dropped 4.

Rasmussen's analysis:

Incumbent Rick Perry's lead over Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has grown a little bigger in the race for this year's Republican gubernatorial nomination in Texas.

And even more good news for Perry:

Eighty percent (80%) of likely primary voters have a favorable opinion of Perry.

Seventy-four percent (74%) of Texas GOP voters approve of the job Perry is doing as governor. That's up six points from a month ago.