Prophet without honor in his own district?

Supporters of very-long-shot but still-hanging-in-there presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul may believe they have something to cheer about: One report this week says that recent polls place Paul 11 points behind his opponent, 43 percent to 32 percent.

Only 11 percent?

Only one problem: This report claims that with only two weeks to go before Texas’ March 4 primary, the Republican congressman is behind in the primary race for his own seat in the U.S. House. Internal campaign polls show Paul trailing challenger Chris Peden in the 14th District race, according to Pajamas Media, an online blog network.

If Pajama's posting is true -- and that may be a BIG if -- Peden evidently has been able to capitalize on Paul’s absence from the district during the traveling presidential circus. Could it actually be that a six-term House member with national name recognition is in danger of losing to a near-unknown – a city councilman in Friendswood, Texas?

Paul's true believers aren't buying it, of course. But if there's even a chance his House seat is in doubt, that would present Paul with a couple of dilemmas. Although he’s raised an astounding amount of cash through his online grassroots campaign – having already spent $20 million – he can’t use any of the more than $8 million in his presidential campaign account to defend his seat unless he drops out as a presidential candidate. But Paul shows no signs of doing that. So his supporters are scrambling to raise funds online -- for his congressional race.

Then there’s the matter of time. Paul may need plenty of it to deal with Peden in his Gulf Coast district, which stretches through 10 counties from near Corpus Christi to the Houston suburbs. But the Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont primaries are on the same day – March 4 – so Paul likely will be on the national campaign trail. Peden's rather self-serving observation is that Paul is willing to risk losing his House seat for a chance to make a speech at the Republican National Convention, a prospect that becomes more likely the longer Paul stays in the presidential race to harvest delegates. Peden's also quick to point out that unlike Paul, he doesn't believe that NASA -- many of whose employees live in the district -- is unconstitutional.

So ... face time on CNN, or shaking hands at a strip mall in Matagorda County? Decisions, decisions. What’s a peripatetic Libertarian to do?