LAS VEGAS -- Nationally, and here in Nevada, it seems Texas Governor Rick Perry has pulled ahead in the Republican primary race for president.
If you look at the numbers, it shows Perry is jumping ahead. The Washington Post puts Perry ahead of Mitt Romney by five points. The two are tied in California, according to a Los Angeles Times-USC poll.
A Magellan Strategies poll conducted last month puts Perry on top in Nevada with 29 percent compared to Romney at 24 percent. Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who came in second in the 2008 caucus here, is down with 6 percent.
The numbers may not mean anything negative for Romney. First, he has visited Nevada more than any other candidate thus far in the race to the White House. He raised $10 million at a phone bank here during a previous visit.
Second, Romney's Mormon support in Nevada has not waned since 2008, when he won the state's presidential caucus.
Third, Romney's professional team led by longtime republican consultant Ryan Erwin is still in place this year, and they have a proven track record.
The Magellan Strategies poll was heavy with Tea Party members and social conservatives, who gravitate towards Perry. That could explain his showing in the other polls mentioned.
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