In the race for governor of Texas, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) holds a substantial lead over Gov. Rick Perry (R) in a matchup of potential 2010 primary foes, according to a new poll from PPP (Feb. 18-20, 797 GOP LV, MoE +/- 3.5%).

Texas Gov Republican Primary
Hutchison 56
Perry 31

Hutchison has all but formally announced she's challenging Perry. She set up an exploratory committee in December and recently hired a communications director -- Hans Klingler, the current political director of the Texas GOP and the former political director on Perry's 1998 campaign for lieutenant governor, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

Perry took over George W. Bush in December 2000 and was elected governor in 2002 and 2006.