It’s not quite a replay of the Paul-Peden race in Texas, but once again there are dueling polls in a Republican primary race featuring an outspokenly antiwar incumbent. In North Carolina’s Third District, challenger Joe McLaughlin has released a poll that shows a statistical tie with Congressman Walter Jones. Conducted by Public Opinion Research, it has Jones at 43 percent and McLaughlin at 41 percent.

The Jones campaign has fired back with a poll by National Research, Inc., showing Jones beating McLaughlin 54 percent to 16 percent in the head-to-head ballot. Jones leads 56 percent to 20 percent when “leaners” are included. Jones, a strong social conservative, is at 57 percent among “strong Republicans” and 58 percent among voters who describe themselves as part of the religious right.

Grover Norquist has campaigned for McLaughlin on the grounds that Jones voted for legislation violating the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Newt Gingrich is reportedly coming to the district to campaign for Jones. I covered the race in a column late last year.