Looks like there’s still Cruz control afoot.

Sen. Ted Cruz continues to captivate voters in the Lone Star State, who see White House potential in the Texas Republican. Mr. Cruz is the favorite in a University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll of potential presidential candidates with 25 percent of the vote, besting Sens. Rand Paul and Marco Rubio and Govs. Rick Perry and Chris Christie of New Jersey.

SEE RELATED:

“What you’re seeing here with the Cruz number is that he has become the pre-eminent rising conservative in Texas,” said poll co-director Jim Henson.

“What we’re witnessing in the numbers is Cruz running ahead and reaching back for the baton, and Rick Perry has the baton. The only question is whether Rick Perry is ready to hand it to him.”

Mr. Perry, incidentally, has been courting major manufacturers and retailers in New York City all week, selling Texas as a business-friendly state.

The poll of 1,400 Texas voters also reveals 46 percent say they’re Republicans and 45 percent are Democrats, 75 percent say religion is important in their life while 48 percent are conservative, 27 percent are moderates and 24 percent are liberal.