09.04.13
Texas media was ready for Wendy Davis to announce this week
That’s what it seemed like when several biographical articles were published over the weekend on Wendy Davis. They seemed like the kind that come out around the time a candidate announces for office.
Wendy Davis: Single mom to political phenom.
Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats’ Big Hope.
A parking lot plan likely propelled Wendy Davis into public service.
And the NY Times ran another article on her chances to win, if she does run for governor, Democrats See Value in Texas in Candidacy for Governor.
Kuff’s take on this articles is about right, More to learn about Wendy Davis.
Nothing terribly earth-shaking in there. Her ex-husband is generally complimentary about her, which is all you can ask for in an ex.
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I think there are plenty of people who are eager to give their time, money, and energy to her campaign even if she believes her odds are very long. Hope is a powerful thing, and whatever the odds are, Davis remains the most exciting candidate since Ann Richards. You can crunch the numbers till your fingers hurt, if this is The Moment you either take it or you don’t, and you accept whatever comes next.
The timing parallels of a Davis run to Obama’s run in 2008 are similar. Many thought it was too soon, for him to run. But it’s was unlikely for him, and it’s unlikely for Davis, that the timing will ever be as good as it is now.
One more from Brent Budowsky, Wendy Davis and Julian Castro Are the Texas Future; Ted Cruz and Greg Abbott Are the Texas Past.
Today, I would put the odds of Davis winning in 2014 at 40 percent and the odds of Clinton carrying Texas in 2016 at 50 percent. The great variable in Texas and the reason I am somewhat more optimistic than most analysts if Davis runs is, I confess, metaphysical. In brief: Many Texas Democrats have a losing attitude. Compared to the years I worked for former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas), a winner with the ultimate winning attitude, far too many Texas Democrats fall victim to an innate pessimism that looks backward to past electoral losses.
I should emphasize that this pessimistic syndrome is found more in the political Texas men I talk to than the political Texas women I talk to, who are much more gung-ho and ready to go. This is why I recently praised Annie’s List, the Texas sister of EMILY’s list. These women are leaders and winners, and if Davis runs they will storm the Bastille of reactionary Texas Republicanism.
The big question is whether the future is now or soon. When I think of Annie’s List and the prospect of Davis running for governor, I think of a comment JFK once made: If you face a man’s job, find a woman!
Here at EOW we’ve already made our decision, Why Wendy Davis must run for Governor of Texas in 2014.