September 10, 2014 6:08 PM

HK: Unlike previous Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Davis has a second act

While it may not ultimately matter, for the moment Davis steals the narrative and reframes the race

Missed in all of the reaction over the Wendy Davis revelations of medically necessary abortions in the 1990’s is that she is the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to actually have a second act in the face-off with her Republican opponent.

For all practical purposes, the Greg Abbott Campaign is Rick Perry redux. It is largely the same cast of consultants, the same avoidance of editorial boards, meaningful debates, press scrums or events open to the public. If past is prelude, the campaign should be expected to land a couple of TV ad haymakers on their opponent in the run-up to early voting.

It may well be that the first intended knock-out punch was the enormously inspirational ad of Abbott overcoming adversity by training in his wheel chair in a parking lot. Some have called it the best political ad of the season. And it may well be that the plan for this campaign against a female candidate was to be inspirational rather than adversarial.

But if this campaign is RP redux, inspiration alone would be out of character.

By Harvey Kronberg