A recent poll showed retired Lieutenant Colonel Allen West leading incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott by six points, 38 to 32 percent. It also showed that Abbott’s support has cratered since his peak of 56 percent support in October. This may be a shock to Republicans outside Texas, who may have been fooled by Abbott’s carefully-constructed façade of leadership.  Abbott has done a decent job of pulling the wool over the eyes of national Republicans and even some Texas conservatives. Ever-ready to puff his chest out to secure a nice photo op before inevitably capitulating, we have observed this on