Wendy Davis to announce run for Texas governor, Democrats say

[alp227]

Source: LA Times

Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis plans to announce her candidacy for governor next week with an elaborate launch that includes watch parties around the state and a boost from the national women’s political organization Emily’s List, according to Democrats familiar with her campaign plans.

Davis, who burst onto the national stage with an 11-hour filibuster against antiabortion legislation this year, has set Oct. 3 for a formal announcement of her next move. It had been widely anticipated that she would give up her Fort Worth legislative seat after two terms and wage an uphill fight for governor.

The speculation turned to near-certainty Thursday as Democrats stepped forth to say they had heard from Davis or her campaign advisors about her intended plans. They declined to be identified to avoid alienating the candidate or members of her team.

Along with setting up watch parties in several cities around the state, the Davis campaign has worked via social media to build a national audience for her announcement, urging followers to contact friends and colleagues to spread the word.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-wendy-davis-candidacy-texas-governor-20130926,0,7409576.story

[BlueCollar]

2. She'll get my vote.

Trying to turn Tarrant blue...

[Scuba]

3. Somewhere, Ann Richards and Molly Ivins are smiling.

[bobGandolf]

4. Good for her!

I hope she is able to get her message across to the voters in Texas.

[brooklynite]

5. I'm still not convinced this is a good move...

All my sources tell me the TX Democratic Party isn't strong enough to deliver the votes she'll need. I don't want her damaged bya large loss if a future win is possible.

[kentauros]

6. Well, there's a major problem we've had to deal with

ever since Karl Rove lied Dubya into the office of the Governor: that the national Democrats immediately wrote us off as "unwinnable." And their "support" has remained that way for decades.

It makes it rather difficult to win anything when everyone around you keeps telling you that you can't win.

[Major Nikon]

7. You might want to read this article

Even Ted Cruz admits that if the Republicans don't make some radical changes to their party, Texas will soon turn blue like it's neighbor New Mexico did. The article explains in great detail exactly why and is a good read.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/11/19/121119fa_fact_lizza

Even if she loses there's some very positive things that could come from this. Many areas of the state have been written off by Democrats for many years. Those networks need to be reestablished before real change is going to come and this could very well be the catalyst which gets that started, if not the bonfire that burns the GOP house down.

[brooklynite]

8. The operative word is "soon"

I've heard 4-5 years, which is why I'm wondering if she should run this time around.

I'd like to support her, but there are so many critical Governorships that are winnable (FL, OH, WI, MI, ME) that I can't do anything in TX unless I see conditions change.

[hamsterjill]

10. I agree.

While I'm a big Wendy supporter and would be happy to see her as my governor, I worry that there will now be a divide between the Castro supporters and the Wendy Davis supporters. Hopefully, the Texas Democratic party has something figured out. Maybe Castro has been convinced to wait a while to run for governor, or else will run for something national.

I WANT this to be good news...I'm just concerned. Greg Abbott will be a formidable opponent regardless.

[DFW]

9. Fine with us!!

Dallas loves Wendy!

[Sunlei]

11. Texas here! count on my vote & support, Sen. Wendy Davis.

[texanwitch]

12. Now here is the important question.

Who will run for lt. governor.

That is the man or woman who really runs the state.