Wendy Davis Says She Won't Rule Out Running for Texas Governor Next Year Against Rick Perry

[big_dog]

Source: The UK Daily Mail


The filibustering Texas state senator who became an overnight sensation by temporarily blocking a bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy said Monday that she might try to unseat Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2014.



Thanks to Davis' now-famous filibuster and a raucous statehouse gallery of liberal partisans, Republicans failed to pass the abortion bill until two minutes after midnight, when the legislative session officially had ended.



Davis cautioned on Monday that her newfound celebrity, and the sudden support she has enjoyed from Democratic politicians with high national profiles, 'forces a second look' at her political future


Meanwhile, a Republican strategist in Texas told NBC News that 'Wendy Davis is not a threat to any statewide office in Texas. She will be lucky to hold her own senate seat in 2014.'



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2352883/Newly-anointed-abortion-rights-power-player-Wendy-Davis-says-wont-rule-running-Texas-governor-year-Rick-Perry.html

[tanyev]

1. That would be great, but I would really love to see her replace John Cornyn.

When is his current term up?

[northoftheborder]

16. 2016, I think

[hamsterjill]

29. Now THAT's an idea...

I would love to see her oust ole Corny, too.

My concern is that the Castro brothers are being groomed to run for Governor in 2014 (most probably Julian) and I don't want to see a divided Democratic party in Texas.

I hope the Texas Democratic leadership will give careful thought about strategy and forward planning. We have some very exciting people on the horizon, and I don't want to see party politics dampen the potential of any ONE of them.

[calimary]

46. Aha, good point. But she MUST be allowed to rise higher!

I hope Wendy Davis gets promoted by the voters into some higher office with more clout and influence and impact. Either way, that ding-dong governor in Texas needs to go.

[Rebellious Republican]

2. Do you think she would consider moving to Florida?

Its the only way I can vote for her as Gov.

[MrSlayer]

3. Strike while the iron is hot.

Take advantage of the name recognition. I don't expect her to win, it is Texas after all but she should definitely get in there.

[KamaAina]

4. Yahooooooooooo!

[big_dog]

8. sounds like she's already running!

Texas Senator Wendy Davis on CNN: Gov. Perry has demeaned his office

[Faygo Kid]

5. Not from Texas, but she has my support.

I'll write her a check, too.

Perry is a joke. A bad one, at that.

[Left Coast2020]

20. All of us will have to write her a check.

Other poster suggested the Senate. I say go after Perry. He's damaged the state big-time. That way in future elections, Texas will certainly go blue. And perhaps as Governor, she would have some sway over the tea freaks that gerrymander districts. The state is more important than Senate.

Lets not let her down if she says Yes.

[CTyankee]

32. I'll sure pitch in but did you hear what James Carville said on Morning Joe last week?

He said that she'd have to back up a truck to collect all the money that Hollywood is going to give to her campaign if she runs for governor.

I just heard her speak on a video at the Capitol in Austin yesterday. She did a fine job! I was very stirred by her remarks on the dignity of women in her state. Beautiful.

[calimary]

47. Not a problem, Left Coast2020!

I've already started!

And meantime, we have to think in terms of NOT ONLY 2016 but 2020. THAT is when redistricting happens. Whoever gets the statehouse in the decade years is in charge of redistricting - that's done every ten years. You leave it in GOP hands, then you leave the GOP in control. And look what they've done so far!

[Purveyor]

6. +1000 eom

[graham4anything]

7. I don't see any downside in her running.

She MAY JUST WIN.

not trying means she would not win.

trying, and well, they said Ann Richards couldn't win either.

Even in Texas, Women make up more than 1/2 the voters.

Like I believe will happen in 2016, why the hell not?

And then in 2016, either Texas can already have a democratic governor, or, have a major name to turn Texas blue in the
presidential election with Hillary leading the way.

So it's win win win.

There is no downside.

And it would / could lead to a great job on a presidential cabinet, a future senate post or a later run for governor six years later.

So win/win/win all around.

[KamaAina]

9. Plus she's probably going to be gerrymandered out of her Senate seat, anyway.

She would have been last time, but for the late, lamented Voting Rights Act.

[graham4anything]

10. I don't understand who Perry thinks will vote for him

and in 2016, who they think will vote for any republican?

The voters (especially women and all minorities) are NOT the republican office holders.

[christx30]

11. Perry wins on this one

Issue with the pubs. On immigration, jobs, taxes, ect he loses big time. He'll get votes from the single-issue voters and the Anyone but Davis crowd. But they basically hate him.

[Gothmog]

27. Not necessarily

Goodhair just signed the redistricting bill that has her current senate seat in its current form. The San Antonio court ruled on her seat based on Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and I think that we could win that case again if the GOP tries to redo the seat.

[Dawson Leery]

12. Ann Richards won in a must more hostile environment.

[madokie]

13. that would be awesome

[Jefferson23]

14. Rising Texas political star Davis takes second look at governor's race

By Michael O'Brien, Political Reporter, NBC News
Follow @mpoindc



It's been a sharp, quick ascent into national prominence for Wendy Davis, the Democratic state senator whose 13-hour filibuster against a restrictive Texas abortion law made her an instant heroine to progressives across the country – and a rising star in Texas politics.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Wendy Davis, the Texas state legislator whose 11-hour filibuster prevented a vote on a controversial abortion law, are engaged in a war of words as Perry calls another special session to hold a vote on the measure. NBC's Janet Shamlian reports.

Her activism has reignited the conversation about her political future which could include a run for governor. "Of course it forces a second look, but I am not taking that look right now," Davis said in an interview with NBC News. "Right now, I'm working to try to be very strategic, and a member of the team that has to work very hard in the next few weeks to defeat this bill."
Advertise | AdChoices

But asked directly whether she would rule out serving as Democrats' candidate for governor in 2014, Davis responded: "I cannot rule that out."

Davis's story is now well-known: the former single-mother-turned-Harvard-Law-grad stood and spoke for hours on end in opposition to a law that would effectively ban most abortions in Texas after the 20th week of pregnancy, and shutter most of the clinics in the state where abortions are performed. Her speech felled the abortion bill after the deadline by which it must have been passed expired.

That fight is about to escalate beginning on Monday, when a special session called by Texas Gov. Rick Perry, R, meets in Austin to work toward reconsidering and passing that abortion law. And all eyes will watching to see how Davis — who has emerged not just as a chief adversary to Perry, but also as a rising national Democratic star — proceeds.

"What I can say is, I don't underestimate at all the power that people have brought to this conversation," she told NBC News in a phone interview. "And I will not underestimate the impact that they can have in the Capitol. And I expect they're going to be there, working hard alongside people who share their values."

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/01/19232711-rising-texas-political-star-davis-takes-second-look-at-governors-race

[Cha]

15. Watch out Republicon strategist.. this is Texas!

http://theobamadiary.com/2013/07/01/this-is-texas/

[Coyotl]

17. Today we saw 6,000 plus Texans #StandWithWendy

Lots of photos:

***** Stand with Texas Women - Rally at Texas Capitol = LiveBlog *****
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023139797

The crowd at the Texas Capitol (pics) Sen Davis speaking (Transcript)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023141565

[Cha]

18. thanks Coyotl.. good ol reliable gov perry.. stepping into it

again.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

30. 6000 out of how many registered voters in Texas

38 EVs, second most in population. When a rally she does pulls a million or so, I will say we have a chance of dethroning RickRoll. Until then, I don't believe Texas is winnable in this political climate, except in certain house races.

Too many teabaggers.

[Paladin]

31. Only a million?

If you're going to take a dump on my state, why not think big? How about a rally of all 3.3 million Texans who voted for Obama, last time around? Would that suit you?

[Nanjing to Seoul]

37. I'm from Arizona, buddy. Don't give me your crap. I would say the same thing about Arizona

Texas is unwinnable. So is Arizona.

Except for southern Texas, a couple districts near Houston,a couple near Dallas and El Paso, Obama LOST Texas by 16%, as has every Democrat running for president since 1976 and hasn't voted for a Democrat for governor since 1994.

Hell, even my teabagger state of Arizona has a better record for voting for Democrats for president and govenors.

3.3 million people voted for Obama. 4.5 million voted for Romney. Let's do math.

6000/7800000 = .07% of voters in last election. If you can give me a rally with at least 10% of the vote last election, I will be a little more optimistic.

Before your give me your "Texas pride" and "God bless Texas," look at the history and political climate. And I will dump on any state that deserves it, even mine! You think I like Brewer and Arpaio? Flake and McCain?

[Rstrstx]

49. Yes, I'd expect AZ to be flippable sooner than TX

Margins are already closer (and closing) and the state would be MUCH cheaper for the national Democratic Party to flip. Of course it's not nearly the number of votes but it fits into their strategy of capturing the West. If successful it would also make for an excellent blueprint for winning Texas, their endgame. Then again, I don't know enough about the politicians there except for Brewer, Arpiehole and my personal favorite Paul Babeu so I'm not familiar with the political personalities the Dems might try and run. My take on Arizonans is that they're basically Texans who don't go to church as much.

There are a few corrections about Texas, you left out SA but most importantly Austin from your list of Dem strongholds and 1990 was the last time TX elected a D governor, but your points are generally well made, even if I think they're a bit on the pessimistic side. After all, TX and AZ can only defy the laws of demographics for so long.

[LanternWaste]

33. On what objective measure is the 6000 too few and the one million enough predicated on?

On what objective measure is the 6000 too few and the one million enough predicated on? Or is that simply a guess from an out-of-stater?

[Nanjing to Seoul]

38. Again math. 6000/7.8 million from 2012 president election is .07%

That isn't enough to win Colorado County.

Last Governor's election: 6000/4.8 million is .1% of the vote.

Give me a rally with 10% of last election and I will believe she has a chance. 6000 people is a drop in the bucket.

[Coyotl]

35. Realism can be an elusive commodity in some circles.

In my political circles (ones that typically win elections handily), 6,000 people for a state issue rally is wildly exciting and indicative of a large populist response to events in progress. It implies that another Democrat could easily join Ann Richards in the governor column. I would also infer that many Texans may never vote republican again after seeing how this issue, this human right, has been perversely attacked.

Texas women want to keep Republican politicians out of their private parts and lives. This intrusive legislation has already had a tremendous backlash. That is why 6,000 people were at the rally.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

39. The flaw in your argument is every woman will now vote for Democrats

Not going to happen. I believe the rally was preaching to the choir.

I would love to see Perry lost. I just don't believe it will happen. The Texas GOP declared war on the poor, environment, minorities and immigrants and people kept electing Republican majorities.

Now they attack women. . .I don't see it changing.

[Coyotl]

40. That is not my argument, but certainly many more women now will, plus most young women

will now be voting Democratic for the rest of their lives.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

41. I still don't see if changing the landscape of Texas anytime soon.

Certain states are lost causes for Democrats in these current environments.

Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Nebraska, Arizona, Wyoming and Texas are too entrenched in the GOP circle to change and become Blue any time soon.

Just because a Democrat is elected (Ann Richards, Janet Napolitano, Mark Begich, etc) once in a while changes nothing of the political landscape of the state.

[Coyotl]

42. Well, that is one opinion, to be sure.

But just watch the future. Every Presidential election there is an 8% change in the electorate, while the majority of Republicans are near the grave. You know what they say:

"People don't change, but the old ones die."

[Paladin]

43. Don't waste any more time with this one, Coyotl. (nt)

[Coyotl]

44. But, it is such fun to get in so many talking points

especially the one that make Republicans squirm

[Paladin]

45. And you're doing a great job of it.

But as we all know, such efforts are wasted on anybody from the backwards state of Arizona.....

[Nanjing to Seoul]

51. Agreed. . .but I'm not an Arizona native. Transplant from Queens.

So I agree how backwards Arizona is. Talk to my neighbors before I became an expat.

[Paladin]

54. I included that big-ass "Sarcasm" label for your benefit.

Because I think blanket trashing of entire states is extremely poor form.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

55. You must understand the difference between trashing a State and trashing their government

My Chinese national wife reads this site with me. When there is an article about China and she reads people trashing China, she asks me why "all Americans seem to hate her." When I say it is their government, not her, she asks "why can't they say that? I'm Chinese. It's not my fault."

I trash states based on their voting records, civil rights records (MA comes to mind over the public busing issue) and their government's actions. If you think that's trashing an entire state, then you are reading too much into something or you are overly sensitive in a game (politics) that requires skin seven thumbs thick.

[Paladin]

56. My compliments to your wife.

Tell her that as a Texas Democrat with many years on DU, I know exactly how she feels.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

57. So going back to why I was saying. . .I'm glad Davis might run. It would be nice if she wins

I just don't see a Democrat winning statewide in Texas yet.

[Paladin]

58. Maybe not an out-and-out win at this point.

But don't underestimate what Davis has tapped into---a big current of resentment and embarrassment and anger held by Texas women and urban Texans as a result of the hyper-conservative politicos who have held sway over the state for way too long.

[Rstrstx]

50. I'll just be happy with Perry gone in 2014, even if it's to a moderate-moderate right candidate

Personally I don't think Texas is ready for Davis just yet, but a few more distractions into cultural issues and all bets are off. The Republicans have been so successful in the state because they have - until recently - shied away from the most volatile social legislation and tried to keep their image as the party of business and commerce. Then Ted Cruz went and poured sand in the vaseline and is trying his best to crash the party. The Democratic Party would have to be nuts not to have his seat in their sights in 2018, as expensive as it might be. Getting a D-TX senate pickup would be gold.

Perry is not popular right now but not unpopular enough to be unseated by a true liberal, at least in the next 18 months. He knows how to schmooze the teabaggers enough without really being a true believer (google "Trans Texas Corridor" if you think otherwise) so he'd secure the party's nomination if he decides to run unless the party goes stark raving mad and decides Perry isn't conservative enough (doubtful, he's proven he'll do about anything he has to in order to survive). But after a hundred and some odd years as governor Perry fatigue will certainly have set in, and I see two possibilities of getting him out.

The first one, and the most desirable, would be to get a conservative in as a third party candidate that could split his base vote up. The candidate would need to be well funded so it might take some Machiavellian liberal group to help him/her along. That could allow for a single Democratic candidate to slip in the doors (but no 4-way scenarios like 2006). The second scenario, less desirable but probably more doable right now, would be to get a moderate Republican to defect and run as an independent and try and sweet talk the Dems into sitting the election out. The ABP (Anyone But Perry) part of me wishes Kay Bailey would have had the cojones to do that in 2012 - she could have won a general election even with a Democrat running - even if she wasn't my first choice by a long shot. But at least she wouldn't be whimsically calling special sessions just to take up flammable social issues. That would be the lesser of two evils approach, though if the Dems are smelling blood in TX within the next decade they may decline this approach.

I think your analyses of TX and AZ are generally accurate and they aren't dissimilar places but your mistake is lumping them in with the other southern or conservative western states. Unlike slower growing, more stable states the demographics are changing too quickly in the Southwest. They are so close to totally losing the Hispanic vote for a generation I think just one more event (like seeing the immigration bill go down in the House) could be the last straw. All you have to do is look at the upcoming demographics of the young population (and the ones dying out) and it's easy to do the math.

[wordpix]

61. TX has lots of teabaggers but also lots of women and minorities who can carry Wendy over top

never say never

[GoneFishin]

19. I'll donate to her campaign if she runs. I hope many outside of Texas will.

[Ash_F]

21. I hope so. /nt

[Skittles]

22. omg.......please............PLEASE

I am shellshocked after YEARS of two of the dumbest governers EVER

[Fire Walk With Me]

23. A no-brainer! Whoohoo!

[Major Nikon]

53. Davis is a Harvard Law graduate

Gov. Goodhair almost flunked animal husbandry from an agricultural university.

A no-brainer in more ways than one.

[tclambert]

24. Hell, her shoes could win.

[MrMickeysMom]

25. Don't stop now, Wendy...

Momentum until 2014...

I, too would love for TX to finally kick out its series of dumb asses who boot lick big oil.

Run, Wendy, RUN!

[Gothmog]

26. I hope that she runs

I have heard that if Wendy is on the top of the ticket, we think that we can keep her senate seat. That would be a double win

[cyclezealot]

28. Save her senate seat. Yeah

Because they are about to pull another stunt such as the one Tom DeLay did. Redistrict anyone out of a seat if anyone dare open their mouth .

[LanternWaste]

34. She has enough momentum and popularity in the here and now...

She has enough momentum and popularity in the present to allow her to accomplish either a tough re-election for the state senate despite the soon-to-be gerrymandering (her new name recognition in Fort Worth is astounding), or a possible win in the race for governor. In the here and now, I'd give both even odds.

I haven't seen this many people fired up over a state politician since Gov. Richards ran in the eighties. Not simply armchair political aficionados mind you, but rank and file Texans who don't invest much time or concentration on policy and instead simply buy the brand.

Sen. Davis has a wonderful name and face recognition, she's a scrapper yet level-headed and calm, a come-from-behind back-story that will resonate with far more Texans than not, and a clear message of support for Texas women and mothers that has people talking positively.

On top of that, she's union friendly, education-friendly (her first, though lesser-known filibuster was in response to TX cutting the education budget), woman-friendly, and for all intent and purposes, Texas-friendly.

Gov. Perry is doing her a huge favor as he keeps her in the spotlight by naming her again and again, and rather than any mud sticking, he's coming off as a sore loser while she keeps her calm to cheering thongs in Austin (and when is the last time we had a throng cheering *for* someone in Austin rather than against?).

[avaistheone1]

36. That would be a blessed thing.

Love it. I hope she does so.

[Lucky Luciano]

48. Bestof luck to her if she runs. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

52. Expect voting machines to go up in flames in key voting areas.

By accident, of course.

[Turbineguy]

59. Rick Perry is already campaigning for her.

In his own way....

[wordpix]

60. I will definitely send her some money and I'm nowhere near TX