(Newser) – How bad are things for Rick Perry? This bad: He’s not even leading in the polls in his home state. Herman Cain holds a razor-thin 27% to 26% lead over Perry in the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, and while that’s within the margin of error, the pollsters note that Cain’s lead was significant in rural and suburban areas, in Houston and Austin, and among the most conservative voters.

"Texans appear to be subject to the national dynamic," the poll director said. "And the dynamic when we were out in the field was that Herman Cain was ascendant." Perry’s approval rating is at 39%, while 44% disapprove of the job he’s doing. Perry does do the best among all candidates in a head-to-head matchup against Barack Obama, according to the poll, winning 45% to 37%—though as Politico notes, that’s not even an electoral majority in a state that has elected Perry six times. (Read more Rick Perry stories.)

