State senator Wendy Davis, who was launched into the spotlight after her 11-hour filibuster against restrictive abortion legislation, is slated to run for Texas governor in the upcoming November elections.
Rumors that Davis might run for governor have been circling for the past few months, but the Fort Worth politician has largely kept quiet about any decision-making following the passing of her father earlier this month. She will officially give her decision on Oct. 3, the Guardian reported.
"A week today, I'm announcing something big," she wrote on Twitter, Thursday. The Associated Press wrote that Davis will run, according to information given from two anonymous Democrats who said they were personally aware of her decision. Reporters at both Politico and the Dallas Morning News said Davis and her team have started letting some politicians close to her know that she will run.
If she does attempt to be elected, the Guardian reported, Wendy Davis will face some serious opposition. Since 1994, not a single Texas Democrat has won a statewide office, after George W. Bush got rid of Democratic governor Ann Richards. During the 2010 vote, governor Rick Perry beat Democratic candidate Bill White, with a 55.1 percent lead over White's 42.4. Right-wing GOPers haven't parsed words when it comes to poking fun at Davis, either. Last month, Greg Abbott - who will most likely run against Davis for the governor spot - thanked a follower on Twitter who referred to Davis as "retard Barbie."
"The stakes are incredibly high," Mark Jones, political science professor at Houston's Rice University, told the Guardian. "I can't think there is any real doubt whatsoever that she's going to lose. But how she performs could have dramatic consequences for the future of partisan politics in Texas and therefore the nation at large...If Texas turns blue, the presidency turns blue."
If Davis loses, Jones said, it'd prove to be an enormous blow to Democrats, given her prominence in the public eye after the famed filibuster. But if Davis won, there could be powerful changes made in future elections.
"There could be a virtuous circle to her performance where she wins 46 percent of 47 percent of the vote," Jones said. "That sends the signal to national donors that Texas is in play."
