Poll: Perry leads Cruz in hypothetical Senate match-up

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) leads Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in a hypothetical 2018 Senate primary match-up, a new poll finds.

{mosads}The survey from left-leaning Public Policy Polling found Perry leading his former GOP presidential rival by 9 points, 46 percent to 37 percent, with 18 percent undecided, according to the Texas Tribune.

Perry is the only potential challenger that tops Cruz in the poll. Cruz holds a 22-point lead over Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and a 32-point lead over Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas).

In a general election match-up with Democrats, the poll also showed Perry leading Housing Secretary Julián Castro, as well as former gubernatorial nominee Wendy Davis by 12 points.

The survey also found that half of Republicans in the Lone Star State want Cruz to be their Senate nominee in 2018, compared to 43 percent who would rather have a different GOP candidate. Cruz also has a negative job approval rating, with 39 percent of Texas voters approving and 48 percent who don’t.

While Cruz is not up for reelection for two years, there’s already been speculation over a possible primary challenge.

Cruz ruffled conservatives’ feathers after speaking at the GOP convention in Cleveland last month but declining to endorse party presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Cruz is also widely believed to have future presidential ambitions.

Earlier this month, McCaul’s spokesman didn’t rule out the possibility of the House Homeland Security Committee chairman challenging Cruz.

The poll was conducted from Aug. 12 to 14 and surveyed 944 likely voters in Texas via phone and online. The margin of error is 3.2 percentage points.