September 07, 2011 11:05 PM UTC

Perry Races Ahead of Romney

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• by: Colorado Pols

Our friends at the Washington Post report in advance of tonight’s big debate:

Aided by strong tea party support, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has surged in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, pushing former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney into second place and significantly diminishing the once-rising star of Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll…

Among all Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, Perry has edged ahead with 27 percent of the vote, followed by Romney with 22percent, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin at 14percent, Rep. Ron Paul (Tex.) with 8percent and Bachmann at 6percent.

…Still, the top two Republican candidates are at rough parity in how they match up against Obama. Among registered voters, Romney edges the president, 49 to 45 percent. Perry is in a similarly competitive position, at 47 percent to Obama’s 46 percent.

As many observers predicted, Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s lead has come heavily at the expense of fading fellow “Tea Party” darling Rep. Michele Bachmann–that shift of support is at least as important a shift as Perry taking the lead over Mitt Romney.

But it’s Romney who Colorado Republicans are backing at Friday’s Denver fundraiser–if you haven’t realized it yet, shifts among our local Republican pro-Romney brass could provide an excellent ‘canary in the coal mine’ for Mitt Romney’s viability. If Romney’s fate in 2012 is to get kneecapped by the surging Gov. Perry, it’s a good bet you’ll see some of the earliest signs of it by keeping your eye on Bill Owens and Scott Gessler.

It probably won’t be as fast as you can say “Dan Maes,” but you still should pay attention.