Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s (R) 2016 polling numbers have shot up as he hammers the Obama administration’s handling of the border crisis, taking him to the front of the potential GOP field.
A Fox News poll released Monday night found 12 percent of registered Republican voters said they would like to see Perry as the GOP nominee for president in 2016 — tied with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
{mosads}Perry’s numbers increased 7 points since Fox last polled the question in April.
The governor and 2012 GOP presidential candidate has gained increased media attention by repeatedly challenging President Obama to visit the border to see the fallout from the surge of unaccompanied child immigrants entering the country illegally.
Earlier this month, Perry also authorized up to 1,000 National Guard troops to deploy to the border to help with security — something he has been calling on the administration to do for years.
Though Perry has hopped near the head of the pack in 2016 polling, six other candidates are within the margin of error.
Other potential GOP presidential candidates trailing close behind include Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (11 percent), New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (10 percent), Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan (9 percent), Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (9 percent) and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (9 percent).
Potential contenders with under 5 percent support include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Ten percent say they do not know or would not pick any of the candidates listed.
The poll surveyed a subsample of 358 registered Republican voters from July 20 to 22 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.