Wendy Davis: Strategic Democrat Decision

During the past few months, the Texas Abortion Bill has garnered national attention with its heated debates and headline-grabbing protests.  While the Democrats were not able to stop the legislation from being passed a second time, they did have one key underlying victory.  That triumph was the arrival of Texas Senator Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, into the national spotlight.  Her 13 hour filibuster during last month’s special session helped temporarily kill the abortion bill in the Texas Senate.   Following the national news coverage of her filibuster as well as her rags-to-riches inspirational story, speculation is now swirling about her possible run for the Democratic candidacy for Texas Governor.  Based on her strong record, inspirational background, and growing political celebrity, this seems to be a likely path for Davis.  However, after examining the Republican competition for Governor, I believe a run for that office may be a mistake.  The biggest reason why this could be a misstep is that Attorney General Greg Abbott has already been touted by Gov. Perry as his likely successor in 2014.  Based on the Texas track record of using the Attorney General position as a breeding ground for future Governors and the current dominance of the Republican Party within the state, it seems logical that they will maintain control of the Governor’s office.  Therefore, I think Wendy Davis should run for a different office that will allow the Democrats to turn the tides in Texas.  At a recent Washington D.C. fundraiser, Davis discussed how her filibuster was not just a stand for women’s rights but a stand for a more progressive Texas.  I believe that a more progressive Texas is only possible if the Democrats can gain control of some the executive offices.  One potential path for Davis would be to run for Lt. Governor against incumbent David Dewhurst and his fellow Republican candidates.  While this race is also highly contested, Davis stands a better chance because there does not appear to be a clear favorite like Greg Abbott in Governor’s race.  By entering the race for Texas Governor in 2014, I believe Davis and the Democratic Party would be wasting an opportunity to compete for an executive office position.   In addition, I think the Democrats would lose the opportunity to leverage the positive publicity Davis has already captured.   In my opinion, the best strategic move for both Davis and the Democrats is to go against what journalists say and run for another executive office such as Lt. Governor.