3  WAYS WENDY DAVIS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR OF TEXAS WOULD AFFECT LATINOS.

Wendy Davis, according to my sources and the hints she’s been dropping, is going to make a run for Texas governor. The state senator recently made an historic filibuster to defeat, at the last moment (literally), a very restrictive abortion bill in Texas and was suddenly launched to national fame.

Right around the same time, the Supreme Court ruled that parts of the Voting Rights Act that protected minority voters were no longer valid. So, it looks like Wendy Davis will likely lose her state senate seat no matter what, making her even more likely to run for higher office — since she has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

There are a few key ways that a big Democratic star like Davis running for governor will affect Latinos in particular.

1.) Bringing in new Latino voters.

The statewide effort to mobilize Democratic voters, especially with a nationwide star like Davis, is bound to bring more Latinos to the voter rolls. Through voter registration, outreach by organizations like Battleground Texas and others, more people will be involved, and thus cast a wider net to involve more Texans in the electoral process than are currently participating.
That pretty much boils down to more Latino activists and voters.

2.) Messaging.

Since Davis is a Democrat, and one who has made her name via a traditional Democratic issue, she’s more likely to bring up issues that affect Latinos. What’s more, she’s much more likely to use less offensive language to talk about Latinos than mainstream Republicans in Texas.

The issues being highlighted, and the language used to discuss them, may ultimately affect other politicos in Texas, and create a more welcoming atmosphere for Latinos in the state.

3.) Down ballot voting.

In Texas you can vote for an entire party on one ballot instead of selecting candidates office-by-office. Davis’ case would probably result in a boost in this straight Democrat ticket voting, thus propelling other Democratic politicos in Texas (who tend to be Latino) to higher vote counts.

To sum up, Davis’ candidacy as governor in Texas would not only be a boon for Democrats, but it would particularly benefit Latino voters and candidates. Texas politics in general, but Davis’ rising star in particular, are definitely worth watching to make sure to stay tuned.

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Copyright 2013 by Sara Inés Calderón.

Sara Inés Calderón
sarainescalderon.com
@SaraChicaD
Skype: SaraChicaD

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