The next Governor of Texas, Wendy Davis, chides state Republicans for bragging about their economy while refusing to invest that money in education and health care.

Courtesy of the Dallas Morning News:

Fort Worth senator and Democratic political celebrity Wendy Davis offered a preview Sunday of her uphill bid for governor. She’s expected to announce on Thursday that she’s in. Davis acknowledged that Texas has navigated the nation’s rocky economy pretty well. But she said that’s all the more reason to invest in public education, highways and health care. Davis says she opposes raising sales or property taxes. But she says there’s enough money to do a better job funding schools and chided Republicans for sharp budget cuts. “You can’t simultaneously brag about the healthy economy you have,” she said, “then simultaneously not own the fact that in spite of your healthy economy, you’re not investing in the future.” 

Davis made an hour-long appearance at the Texas Tribune Festival on Sunday in Austin. She said GOP state leaders spend too much time on partisan gamesmanship and not enough on issues Texans really care about. Davis’ anticipated bid for governor would be a long-shot. The last time Democrats won statewide office was 1994. The last Texas Democrat elected governor was Ann Richards in 1990. Davis burst onto national attention with an 11-hour filibuster against an abortion bill that critics said was aimed at denying most women the procedure in Texas. Donors flooded her campaign with money and Democratic supporters have urged her to run. 

The Republican front runner is Attorney General Greg Abbott, who has cultivated tea party and Christian evangelical support around his opposition to abortion, gay marriage and the Obama administration. Former Republican state Chairman Tom Pauken is also seeking the GOP nomination. Republicans want to make Davis a liberal, one-issue candidate and tie her to the Obama administration. Davis served notice Sunday that she hopes to broaden her public image. 

“These divisive issues that keep getting thrown into the middle of a room where legislators go to their corners and come out with their boxing gloves on, these aren’t the things that Texans want to hear use talking about,” she said. “We have some real issues where Texans feel like the folks who have been representing them in leadership positions in Austin aren’t reflecting the things they and their families value and care about most deeply.”

I have high hopes for this contest, and believe that it could be the  canary in the mineshaft for determining how Democrats across the country might fair in 2014. For that reason I am going to spend some time focusing on Texas.

Going from Rick Perry to Wendy Davis. How's THAT for some serious political whiplash?

By the way speaking of Rick Perry there is some indication that his own wife may not be opposed to voting for Wendy Davis as well:

Anita Perry, the wife of Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), said over the weekend she views abortion as a "woman's right," but disagrees with it personally. 

"I see it as a woman's right. If they want to do that, that is their decision. They have to live with that decision," she said in an interview Saturday at the Texas Tribune Festival. 

"Mrs. Perry, I want to be sure that you didn't just inadvertently make news," responded the Tribune's Evan Smith. "Are you saying that you believe that abortion is a woman's right -- to make that choice?" 

"It is not mine, it is not something that I would say for them," Perry responded. She later added, "Yeah, that could be a woman's right. Just like it's a man right if he wants to have some kind of procedure. But I don't agree with it and that's not my view."

Hah! Gotta love it!

Perhaps they should change the Texas slogan, from "Don't mess with Tesas" to "Don't mess with Texas women!"