I don't know where he's polling, but I also think he's the real deal. He's definately a constitutionally-minded candidate and he's sharp, friendly, and speaks well. I will be voting for him.
He's up against a couple of strong candidates. Tim Gobble, sheriff of Bradley County, is a pretty good candidate. I'd be looking at him if Van Irion wasn't in the race. Robin Smith seems to be favored by the Republican Party leadership, which means that she's probably a RINO like the other candidates that the party has supported over the years.
Sounds about right re: “the party”. I suppose we’ll know soon enough, the primary is about three weeks away.