Why the difference in Texas polling?

[RP Supporter]

Just something that struck me. PPP polled Texas for the Republican presidential nomination, and Paul had either 10 or 9%. But when they polled for the senate race, Paul's total more than doubles to 21%. I understand they're two different offices, but it seems that Ron has a natural base that's willing to vote for him for Senate, but unwilling to support him for president, at least as the first choice. Why could this be? And who is that other 10 percent of Paul's support going to in the presidential primary? Sarah Palin seems the most likely guess to me, which is why I'm now hoping against all odds she decides against a run. I can't imagine much of her support going to someone like Romney or Gingrich.

Nonetheless, Texas gives me hope because for perhaps the first time, we have been given credible evidence that Ron Paul has a strong base of support from Republicans statewide. The dilemma then becomes to convince those voters who would support him for senate but not for president to give him their support for the presidential nomination as well. Unlike other states, where the main challenge would be to convince voters uncomfortable or uninformed about Ron Paul to vote for him, in Texas there already exists a big enough slice of potential supporters that if they can all be swayed to support a Paul presidential run, he can win the state's primary.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

This is like asking why Ron Paul got over 70% of the vote in his congressional primary against Chris Peden in March 2008; while at the same time his own district (TX-14) gave him only 6% support in the GOP presidential primary held the same day.

Or this about Sarah Palin today:


The worst news for Palin in this poll might be that she has the highest favorability number of any of the Republicans tested at 65%- but still only 14% say that she’s their first choice for President. Her problem is not that GOP voters don’t like her because they most certainly do. They just don’t think she’s Presidential material.

It is what it is. Some people may simply like Ron Paul but just not view him of presidential timber.