An Insider Advantage poll released today (subscription only) shows that almost half of Republican voters haven’t decided who they’ll vote for for governor.

The poll shows Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine in the lead at 25 percent, followed by a statistical three-way tie between former Secretary of State Karen Handel (10 percent), U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal (9 percent) and former state Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (7 percent). State Rep. Austin Scott and states’ rights activist Ray McBerry are spinning their wheels at 3 and 1 percent, respectively. State Sen. Jeff Chapman, R-Brunswick, was not included. Forty-five percent are undecided.

Team Ox is spinning the poll as showing that undecideds are moving to Oxendine (an IA poll in May had Oxendine at 21 percent and 50 percent undecided). But other polls in the interim showed Oxendine with support in the 30s, so it could be he’s slipping.

The real winner, though, is Johnson, whose support jumped four percentage points since May. That’s not much, but – given that he’s from out-of-the-way Savannah, Chapman is cutting into his base and he hasn’t done any statewide advertising – it’s surprising. You could just as easily say undecided voters are lining up behind Johnson as Oxendine. Welcome to the second tier of candidates.

The poll also suggests voters don’t really give a hoot about ethics, or rather, that they’re convinced every politician is a crook. Neither Handel’s “sex, lies and lobbyists” rhetoric nor news of Deal’s sketchy state contract has budged their numbers.

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