Following the news that state Senator Wendy Davis raised over $12.2 million during the last 6 months of 2013, while Attorney General Greg Abbott only raised $11.5 million, Texas Republicans seem to know that there's a real danger that they will lose the governor's mansion this year. The kind of vitriol that has been reserved for other high profile female Democrats, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is now being unleashed on Wendy Davis. In addition to calling Davis "Abortion Barbie" because of her filibuster on behalf of women's reproductive rights, the Texas GOP has launched a smear campaign to take charge of the narrative and put their preferred spin on her personal story:

Davis was 21, not 19, when she was divorced. She lived only a few months in the family mobile home while separated from her husband before moving into an apartment with her daughter.

A single mother working two jobs, she met Jeff Davis, a lawyer 13 years older than her, married him and had a second daughter. He paid for her last two years at Texas Christian University and her time at Harvard Law School, and kept their two daughters while she was in Boston. When they divorced in 2005, he was granted parental custody, and the girls stayed with him. Wendy Davis was directed to pay child support.

So they're suggesting that she's a twice-divorced liar and a bad mother, among other things. Why would this be important to do?

Using her story to inspire new voters, particularly women, youths and minorities, is a key part of the [Davis] campaign’s strategy to overcome the state’s heavy Republican bent.

But likely Republican nominee Greg Abbott and his allies are expected to focus on different details to tell voters a competing story. Some will question how much of her success was her own doing, and how bad her circumstances were to start.

Or the Abbott campaign can count on a major Texas newspaper to do their dirty work for them, as the columnist above just did. Anyway, given the Texas Republicans' determined war on women, I doubt that they're going to abandon this line of personal attacks anytime soon.

Well, the Wendy Davis campaign just sent out an open letter (my emphasis):

Dear Friend,

As our campaign has gained momentum, our opponents have gotten more and more desperate. But now they’ve stooped to a new low by attacking my family, my education, and my personal story – playing politics with the journey that has been my life.

Mine is a story about a teenage single mother who struggled to keep her young family afloat. It’s a story about a young woman who was given a precious opportunity to work her way up in the world. It’s a story about resiliency, and sacrifice, and perseverance.

And you’re damn right it’s a true story.

Throughout this campaign, I’ve shared that story – not because it’s unique, but because it isn’t.

The story of my life is also the story of millions of single mothers who feel alone in the world, millions of young dreamers searching for their chance to become something more than what they were born into, millions of families all across Texas who would sacrifice everything to give their children a better future.

It’s those stories – your stories – that drive my campaign. But Greg Abbott and his allies don’t want to hear them. They don’t have anything to offer Texans who find themselves in the same difficult situation I was in when I was young. They would slam the doors I walked through and pull up the ladders I was lucky to be able to climb.

And now, instead of offering real ideas to improve your life, they’re attacking mine.

It won’t work. The only thing Greg Abbott and his allies have proved with these desperate attacks is that they don’t understand what it means to live a life like mine – a life like that of so many people all across our state.

They don’t know me – and, what’s more important, they don’t know you.

I’m not surprised that the Abbott campaign would resort to attacking the story of a single mother who worked hard to get ahead.

And I’m not afraid of their false attacks – I developed thick skin long before anyone knew my name.

What I am is deeply proud of the life I’ve built and the daughters I’ve raised – and deeply grateful to the many, many people who have shared their stories and offered their support as I’ve traveled our state.

No false attack can take away my story. And no sleazy political trick will stop me from giving voice to yours.

Your stories are why I’m running for Governor. And together, I know we’ll make sure that the Texas we leave to our children is a place where every young mother can build a better life for her child. . . where every family can work their way up the economic ladder. . . where every Texan can achieve their dreams and live out their own success story.

If you’re with me, click here and add your name to my letter as a sign of support. Together, we’ll break through these attacks, win this election, and make Texas even greater.

Wendy

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/21/1271548/-Wendy-Davis-You-re-damn-right-it-s-a-true-story