Good Article on why Wendy Davis could win

[Gothmog]

Here is a decent article on why Wendy Davis could win http://www.texasobserver.org/three-reasons-wendy-davis-can-win-three-reasons-cant/ One of the reasons for her potential ability to win is Greg Abbott

Abbott has already shown a tendency to needlessly step in it. If there’s one thing that a Texas Republican running against a smart, strong Democratic woman shouldn’t do is pull a Clayton Williams. And Abbott has already edged in that direction. Last month, Abbott retweeted Dave Carney, his top advisor who tweets as @granitewinger, with a headline that read in part, “Wendy Davis is too Stupid to be Governor.” The link in the tweet took you to an article by a conservative blogger, Robbie Cooper of Austin, who frequently engages in violent, racist tirades. Abbott is fairly chummy with Cooper.

If this is the company Abbott is going to keep, he runs the risk of saying or doing something terminally stupid. So far, he’s running a hard-right tea party campaign featuring “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and lots of jerk-y red meat ads.

The Abbott ads that I have seen have been weak with no non-whites in these ads. I practiced law with Greg back in the 1980s and he is not that bright. This could be a close race

[CrispyQ]

1. Some of my political contribution funds will go to Wendy Davis!

[Rstrstx]

2. I've seen several articles on the subject

All seem to leave out the critical fact of the Republicans deliberately keeping the poor from getting health insurance, especially through blocking Medicaid. That could be the issue that finally gets out the lower voting blocs in numbers.

There are also wildcards like Ted Cruz, though he doesn't particularly like Abbott he could become a weight around the neck of the Republican party in general.

And one article I read mentioned that tea-partier Debbie Medina may consider running in the race; if that were the case I'd like to see someone with big bucks fund her as a third party candidate, even if cynically. In a race between Davis, an ultraconservative Abbott and a hyperconservative tea partier she could well win a plurality (think Perry 2006).

Texas is not as conservative as many people think, it's just that the conservatives turn out to vote in much higher numbers than other voters. If nothing else Davis could start the wheels in motion for the resumption of the long-dormant Democratic Party machine in the state.

[Gothmog]

3. Good point about Medina

Medina ran well against Goodhair and Kay Bailey in 2010 and she could really hurt Abbott

[Gothmog]

5. Here is a good analysis of the effect that Medina may have on the race

Debra Medina may well be a spoiler http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/politics/wendy-davis-texas-governor/index.html

Debra Medina, a Wharton businesswoman and conservative activist, captured nearly 20% of the vote in the 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary by making a strong play for the nascent tea party movement.

She's currently raising money for a possible 2014 comptroller campaign but also leaving the door open to an independent run for governor next year, in part because of her not-so-subtle disdain for a long line of establishment-backed GOP figures in her state -- Perry and Abbott chief among them.

"You look at our ticket, and it's all rich white guys," Medina said. "There are few women and liberty-leaning candidates on the ballot. If we go through the nomination process and end up with a whole bunch of Mitt Romneys on the ticket next November, people aren't going to get excited about it."

Medina said she plans to make a decision about an independent bid for governor by early December, after she decides whether to file as a candidate for comptroller. If she does run for the top office, Medina's support would almost certainly draw from the tea party activist wing of the Republican coalition. That would be bad news for Abbott.

[Gothmog]

4. Here is another good article on Wendy's chances

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/politics/wendy-davis-texas-governor/index.html

This article mentions Debra Medina, Greg's lack of name recognition, the fact senator Davis is battle tested, the possible effect of battleground Texas and the effect of suburban women on the campaign