Joan Walsh: Wendy Davis v. Rick Perry? (Video: Interview with Chris Hayes)

[cal04]

Texas Republicans want to get the national hero out of the state senate. Maybe she should run for governor instead

It seemed a strange convergence early Wednesday morning: On the same day the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis pulled off a heroic filibuster that ultimately defeated draconian anti-abortion legislation – and yet she could be a victim of that court decision, as state Republicans moved ahead with redistricting plans blocked in 2012 that could effectively eliminate her seat, even while she was filibustering.

I certainly think that voting rights and women’s rights activism ought to converge in Texas to make sure Davis keeps her seat, if she wants it. But Wednesday night I began to dream there might be an even better test for those two movements: Backing Davis in a run against Texas’s forgetful, pandering far-right governor Rick Perry.

Personally I thought Perry shamed himself with his slapdash run for president, but lots of people think it made him stronger at least on the right. Whatever. It certainly made national Democrats more aware of what Texans are living with. Wendy Davis’s filibuster made us more aware of the state’s progressive promise.

On “All In With Chris Hayes” Wednesday night, Davis didn’t deny she had statewide ambitions. “I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t have aspirations to statewide office,” she told Hayes. “I love this state.” She was also brutal in reply to Perry’s declaration that “we will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency” to defeat SB 5, and therefore he’d convene yet another special legislative session.

Video at the bottom of the page
http://www.salon.com/2013/06/26/wendy_davis_v_rick_perry/

[pacalo]

1. Perry: "We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency" to defeat SB 5...

One of Rod Serling's dream characters. I wish Serling had been born later; he lived before his time.

[winter is coming]

3. "But we'll be happy to waste taxpayer money to push through a bill that Texans don't support

and we'll ignore Senate rules and commit a felony (altering the timestamp on last night's vote) to do it. And, for free, we'll throw in a shit-ton of ignorance, misogyny, and condescension."

[pacalo]

4. +1!

[kentuck]

2. Can you say?

Governor Wendy Davis?