Cruz Leads Dewhurst in Senate Race – Or Does He?

Politico reports that a new poll shows Ted Cruz now leading David Dewhurst 47-38 percent.  One taint is that the poll was commissioned by a Cruz-affiliated group, although Columbus, Ohio-based Wenzel Strategies has been accurate in recent surveys in other states. The Dewhurst camp counters with its own poll showing their candidate leading 50-42 percent.

Do these polls matter? Does a strong poll showing create a bandwagon effect with undecided voters? I haven’t seen any data on that question, but perhaps our more politically-astute FrontBurnerians have.