Davis, Abbott spar in debate

EDINBURG - Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis came out swinging on issue after issue in Friday's debate against Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott, the front-runner in their race for governor.

From fair pay to the right to abortion, from the Voter ID law to education funding, to Abbott's comments about the border, Davis sought to portray Abbott as an official who "will favor his insider friends" rather than working for everyday Texans.

Abbott fended off the attacks calmly, painting himself as a warrior against an overreaching federal government while seeking to tie his opponent to an unpopular president, at one point asking Davis whether she regretted having voted for Barack Obama.

Davis closed by saying voters need to ask themselves who will fight for them.

"If I have the privilege of serving as your next governor, you won't need a high-paid lobbyist in the Texas Capitol to represent you, because your voice will be there," Davis declared. "Because I am you."

Abbott, who has an advantage at a time when a Democrat hasn't won statewide office in two decades, presented himself as an officeholder with a strong record of achievement who will build on Texas' success under GOP leadership.

"Texas is already great, but I'm running for governor to make it even better," he said. "I will keep Texas the land of opportunity, the place where hopes and dreams can still be realized, the place where more freedom and less government still matters."

Rice University political scientist Mark P. Jones said opinions may differ on whether Davis or Abbott narrowly won the debate, but that Davis needed more. "Davis needed to deliver a knockout punch. That didn't happen," Jones said. "That's what she needed to shake up the dynamics of this race."

Public education finance system

Davis went on the offensive early in the encounter, taking aim at Abbott's comparison of South Texas corruption to that which occurs in third-world countries. She targeted his defense of a voter ID law that a federal judicial panel earlier found to be discriminatory. The measure is again in court.

Abbott said he wasn't targeting the Rio Grande Valley with his comments, but that he opposes corruption statewide. Asked whether such comments give the area a black eye, he said that secure communities promote economic development.

When he spoke of corruption, Abbott took a dig at Davis, whom he has accused of crossing ethical lines with her work as a lawyer while holding public office. He said he has proposed ethics reform "so that we can prevent situations like legislators who are profiteering off of their offices." Davis has said she acted properly.

On voter identification, Abbott said the measure is needed to ensure the integrity of the ballot box.

Davis slammed him for defending the public education finance system in court, which he is doing by virtue of being the state's top lawyer.

She said his defense of the system that was cut in 2011 is "just dumb," and she pointed out that she fought those cuts through a brief filibuster that year.

Abbott said that Davis helped pass a measure that removed the attorney general's authority to settle such lawsuits. The Davis campaign disputes his characterization of the law. And she at one point spoke over the moderator in rebutting his points on education. Television station officials later said it had been agreed that the candidates could offer a rebuttal.

Davis cited a litany of women's issues when asked about abortion.

She attracted national attention last year by filibustering tighter abortion restrictions, which became law despite her efforts. She recently disclosed in a memoir that in 1997 she and her then-husband decided to terminate a much-wanted pregnancy because their unborn daughter had an acute brain abnormality that was likely incompatible with life.

"My opponent … has paid women in his office less than he's paid men," Davis began, then criticized him for campaigning with raunchy rocker Ted Nugent.

She said that Abbott opposes women making "decisions on their own in cases of brutal rape or incest."

"That is not protecting Texas women, and on behalf of Texas women, I say no thank you," Davis said.

Abbott, a staunch abortion opponent, was calm in his response.

"I am pro-life, and I'm Catholic," he said. "Like most Texans, I believe that all life is sacred. As governor, I will develop a culture of life in this state."

Republicans convinced

Earlier in the day, a few dozen women and men gathered for a rally at the Hidalgo County GOP headquarters in McAllen, where Cecilia Abbott spoke briefly about her husband, asking those in attendance to "keep Greg in your prayers."

Bernard Najvar, 72, and his wife Margie, 68, made the three-hour drive from Corpus Christi to hear the debate and participate in other Abbott activities scheduled for the weekend.

"He really cares about people," Margie said. She posed for a photo with Abbott as dozens of others gathered around, jockeying for a glimpse of the candidate at a post-debate rally.

"Abbott was clear in letting everyone know what his plan is for Texas," Bernard said. "All (Davis) did was attack."

Lisa Thurman, 57, an Oklahoma transplant and CEO of a nonprofit in the Rio Grande Valley, echoed the Najvars' sentiments.

"General Abbott kept to the subject matter and he didn't try to sling mud," she said. "It seemed Davis was on the attack the whole time."

Democrats impressed

Emmanuel Villarreal, 27, clad in a Wendy Davis T-shirt and toting a Latinos for Wendy campaign poster, said he thought Davis performed admirably. Villarreal, a special education counselor in the Austin Independent School District, said he was particularly impressed with her pledge to restore education funding.

"She spoke to the issues that matter to the people of the Rio Grande Valley: immigration and education," said Villarreal. "Abbott kept talking about Barack Obama, but he's not running against Barack Obama, he's running against Wendy Davis."

Raquel Perez, 56, cheered Davis immediately after the debate as she addressed supporters from the back of a pickup. The debate left little doubt in the mind of the McAllen resident and saleswoman.

"She supports women," Perez said of Davis in Spanish. "She's going to be a great governor."