Flies in the face of what the MSM has been claiming, that Perry is too extreme to beat Obama, even though multiple polls showing him doing just that.

(National Journal) — Not only is Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading Mitt Romney in the polls, he also has a leg up on the former Massachusetts governor when it comes to one of Romney’s biggest perceived strengths: electability.

A glance at the responses to one question in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll asked of Republicans and Republican-leaning adults reveals the newfound challenges Romney faces in capturing the nomination. When asked which candidate has the best chance of beating President Obama in the general election, 30 percent said Perry while only 20 percent said Romney.

Perry’s 30 percent is up dramatically from the 6 percent in July who said he had the best chance of defeating Obama. In the July survey, 32 percent said Romney had the best chance.

Republicans think Perry can win it all, and that hits at the heart of one of Romney’s biggest assets. What’s more, with Perry in the race, most Republicans are satisfied with the field. An AP-GfK poll conducted from Aug. 18-22, shortly after Perry entered the race, showed 64 of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents were satisfied with the current field, up from 52 percent in June who said they were satisfied.