Was it the gun giveaway? Whatever the reason, Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens) has opened up a double-digit lead in the Republican U.S. Senate primary, according to a new poll conducted by the liberal groups Better Georgia and Public Policy Polling.

Broun has the support of 27 percent of GOP voters. Rep. Phil Gingrey is second with 14 percent, followed closely by Rep. Jack Kingston at 13 percent, businessman David Perdue at 12 percent and former Secretary of State Karen Handel at 9 percent. In other words, it's likely to be Broun and _____ in a runoff.

In a hypothetical general election matchup, Broun is tied with the presumptive Democratic nominee, Michelle Nunn, at 38 percent. Although Democrats generally consider Broun easier to beat than the other GOP candidates, the poll actually shows Nunn with a slight lead over Gingrey, Kingston and Handel, mainly due to her strength among female voters. Given that PPP skews Democratic, Broun is probably a bit stronger than this poll indicates.

Other tidbits: Georgia voters oppose a bill to lift the ban on guns in churches and bars by a 45-34 margin, and 69 percent favor legalizing medical marijuana.