September 26, 2013 3:26 PM

HK: IF ABBOTT CAN RUN AGAINST OBAMA, CAN DAVIS RUN AGAINST CRUZ?

Now that it is "official", some interesting bank shots in the game become more important

With the indirect confirmation of Wendy Davis’ gubernatorial run on the heels of the Ted Cruz “filibuster”, Texas may have just nationalized the mid-term elections. Both politicians are now the face of the policy schism between the two parties even though the general election is a little more than a year away..

No one here at QR is naīve. Starting after the official announcement on October 3, the Abbott-Carney rebranding machine will begin defining Davis. The biggest question on the table is can she raise enough money fast enough to counter the re-defining process even before the official filing deadline this coming December.

The Lone Star Project and Steve Mostyn by themselves can not issue enough press releases or video ads to stop the tidal wave to come. Out of state money is likely to more important in this race than any time in decades.

Abbott has spent years building a statewide gubernatorial organization. Davis has spent six weeks. Abbott has an oppo research trail on Davis from her previous elections, plus whatever his team has since initiated. In contrast, Abbott has not had a serious challenge and an updated opposition research file since he faced off against Kirk Watson in an open seat in 2002.

By Harvey Kronberg