Wendy Davis, the Democratic contender for governor in Texas who made national headlines for donning pink running shoes and a urinary catheter to try to filibuster an abortion bill, is digging in her heels on her newest political flare-up that finds she exaggerated certain campaign claims.
Ms. Davis was just outed for conveniently neglecting to explain that her wealthy husband helped finance her Harvard education — rather than just the loans, grants and scholarships she touted. And she was also criticized for putting forth the story that she lived in a trailer home after her divorce at age 19 — when she really only lived for a brief few months in the mobile home after her divorce at age 21.
Ms. Davis responded to these outings by saying she needed to tighten up her language a bit. But now she’s regained composure and come out swinging.
In a post on her website on Tuesday afternoon, she wrote of her biographical sketches: “You’re damn right it’s a true story.” As Breitbart.com noted, that’s a 180-degree change in attitude from the more humble admission she made to the Dallas Morning News a few days ago that read: “I’m learning about using broader, looser language.”
Ms. Davis then goes on to say in her blog that she’s coming under heavy fire from her political opponents — and this latest language flap is really hurting all the voters in Texas.
She especially faults Republican governor hopeful Greg Abbott, suggesting that the entire scandal about her background claims erupted only because he provided select members of the media with talking points. The Dallas Morning News writer who broke the story about Ms. Davis’s fudged past, meanwhile, denies receipt of any information from Mr. Abbott, Breitbart reported.
But on her blog, she wrote of the whole affair: “[It’s an attack on] millions of families all across Texas who would sacrifice everything to give their children a better future.”
Meanwhile, her campaign camp has stumbled again. One of the first statements her staff sent out to slam Mr. Abbott ended with this sentence, in reference to Ms. Davis’ feelings about the so-called attacks: “I guarantee you that anyone who tries to say otherwise hasn’t walked a day in my shoes.”
Mr. Abbott has been confined to a wheelchair since 1984, when a tree fell on him, and can’t walk. Ann Coulter on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday called the gaffe significant — and said that mainstream media would be howling over the misstep had Ms. Davis been a Republican candidate.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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