For my money (of which there’s not very much), New York Times columnist Gail Collins is routinely a better read than the paper’s Op-It Girl Maureen Dowd. But today’s piece seemed to slip the rails in a reference to the Texas GOP gubernatorial primary.

Collins writes: “The 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which gives the states all powers not delegated to the federal government, is all the rage.” Especially at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which begins today in Washington but is less than a star-studded event.

Some of the tenthers’ favorite stars [are] too busy to show up. Sarah Palin — whose husband once flirted with the Alaska secessionists — declined. Gov. Rick Perry of Texas — who cuddled up to the Texas secession movement in 2008 — is home running for re-election and wowing the crowd at a Tenth Amendment Town Hall. His strongest challenger for the Republican nomination appears to be a woman who told Glenn Beck that she had an open mind about whether there was any American government involvement in the 9/11 attack.

That would be Debra Medina, who implied to Glenn Beck on his radio show that Dick Cheney was the 21st hijacker on 9/11.

Medina’s not exactly moonwalking away from those comments, either.

Back to Collins, though: the latest poll (via KDFA in Amarillo) in the Texas shootout has incumbent Gov. Rick Perry (R-Anyone Wanna Secede?) at 45%, Medina at 17%, and – wait for her – Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R- Double Dip) at 29%. Collins apparently forgot her. Then again, a lot of voters have too.