Can Medina be "fringed" in the debate tonight?

Medina is concerned about being fringed by Rick and Kay (link). Excerpt follows...

"I'm reading. I don't like rehearsing much. I really like policy. I'm a business person. I want details, I want data, I want information, I want a plan. I know I'm going to get hit on the drug thing. They're either going to use that or the fact that I spoke to Log Cabin Republicans, something to try to fringe me with, so I'm doing some work in that regard. But they have a real hard time catching me, because they don't think like I do."

Medina had told me earlier in the day that she had spoken to Log Cabin Republicans -- gay Republicans -- and that she had told them that she thought their lifestyle was immoral, but that didn't mean she couldn't work with them on other issues. On "the drug thing," she has libertarian inclinations, which means that she's willing to at least entertain the idea that the so-called war on drugs is futile.

The Beeville native helped herself in the first debate. Be on the lookout this Friday for efforts on the part of the senator and the guv to "try to fringe her," which would indicate that the two professional pols in the race are taking her grassroots candidacy seriously.

I think Medina is here to stay... even the Wall Street Journal is giving her press (link). Excerpt follows...

Mrs. Medina is critical of both Mr. Perry and Ms. Hutchison, calling them "two sides of the same coin." But she has reserved some of her sharpest jabs for the governor, whom she described in an interview as the "jumpy, fidgety frat boy sitting on stage with me two weeks ago."

In response to Mrs. Medina's remark, Catherine Frazier, a spokesman for the governor, said: "Under Gov. Perry's leadership, Texas is the strongest state in the nation. If that is what she thinks about where Texas is headed, that's unfortunate."

Dr. Henson of the Texas Politics Project was among the political mavens who thought Mr. Perry would prevail in a runoff, because he was most likely to capture Mrs. Medina's voters.

But others thought Ms. Hutchison would benefit from the extra campaign time a runoff would afford and from Mrs. Medina's attacks on the governor, which the senator encouraged during the first debate.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we see more fire coming in from Gov. Perry in the direction of Debra Medina," said Ken Emanuelson, a leader of the tea-party movement in Dallas, which worked to ensure that she was included in both debates.

The line about the jumpy frat boy is the kind of thing that makes Medina look like she has a personal animus against Rick and not just a set of policy differences.

Last time it looked like Medina and Kay were teaming up against Rick in a way that was almost too organized... how will this debate play out? Will Medina go after Kay more this time, or will she continue focusing on Rick? Rick being the front runner will probably take heat from both... so will he continue directing his fire toward Kay or will he take some shots at Medina this time around?

I think Medina is ripe for some tough questions... she seemed to struggle at her editorial board meeting with the issue of her clothes being paid for by her campaign... and she struggled at the first debate when asked about legalizing drugs... the only time anyone really threw her more than a lob to hit...

Medina is the kind of candidate who can be fringed... but I think Medina is far too sharp to let herself be fringed. Now put her under a microscope and scrutinize her for a long period of time... wear her down... then it is a different story... but she doesn't have the same pressure packed grueling schedule Rick and Kay have had for more than a year.