Though Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is involved in a hotly contested Republican primary race for Governor, 57% of voters in the state say she should remain in her current position while doing so.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Lone Star state shows that just 28% of Texas voters believe Hutchison should leave the Senate and 15% are undecided.

New data shows that Governor Rick Perry has opened an 11-point lead over Hutchison in the Republican primary after the candidates were nearly tied two months ago.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of both Republicans and Democrats agree Hutchison should remain in her position, along with 56% of those voters not affiliated with either party.

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Perry is enjoying higher approval ratings from voters this month. Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters in Texas approve of his job performance, up five points from September and nine points from July.

Thirty-six percent (36%) somewhat or strongly disapprove of his performance, down five points from September and eight points from the summer.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Texas voters share a favorable view of Hutchison, up six points from September and five points from July. Only 29% view the Republican Senator unfavorably.

Perry is viewed favorably by 61% of voters, up five points from September and July. Thirty-six percent (36%) view Perry unfavorably, down slightly from September.

In other Texas news, 73% of Texas voters say Major Nadal Malik Hasan should receive the death penalty if he is convicted of last week’s massacre at Ford Hood.

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