Wendy Davis Considering Bid For Texas Governor

Wendy Davis, the Texas state senator turned Democratic rising star, is taking a look at running for governor of the red state in 2014.

Davis made national headlines last week after her bold filibuster managed to successfully block a vote on a highly controversial state bill restricting abortion access and closing clinics throughout Texas.

The state senator’s strong activist stance against the controversial anti-abortion bill has made her a liberal heroine overnight. The fanfare has prompted Democrats to ponder Davis’ possibilities on the national stage.

Discussion and speculation include whether Wendy Davis could be a successful Democratic candidate for Texas governor two years from now.

Not too willing to tip her hand just yet, Davis told NBC News that her focus right now was on defeating the Texas abortion bill, which still faces a vote.

She admits, however, that all the fanfare around her activism has forced a “second look” at a possible bid for governorship. “I cannot rule that out,” Davis said.

This week will see Wendy Davis again lock horns with legislators in Texas. A vote is expected, following a special session called by Governor Rick Perry on Monday.

Republicans in support of the controversial bill believe there are enough votes in the Texas state senate to allow it to pass. They also won’t be repeating the mistakes of June 25, when the abortion bill vote was scheduled last on the agenda, aiding Davis’ daring play.

State Senator Wendy Davis’ sensational filibuster last week has inspired a great deal of progressive enthusiasm, which analysts at NBC News believe could propel her into a heated governor’s race.

Texas is well known as a Republican stronghold, with Governor Rick Perry successfully securing three terms in his career so far. He has not publicly declared whether he might seek a fourth in 2014.

Regardless, a bid by Davis for governorship in Texas, if successful, could hail an end of the state’s red streak and force political strategists to drastically rethink their assumptions about the southern state.

When asked about whether she agreed with Republicans who’ve said that Perry will remain governor if he runs in 2014, Wendy Davis admits that she “can’t predict that. Is he vulnerable? Yes.”