The Brief: Aug. 14, 2013

The Big Conversation

The chorus of Democratic voices calling on state Sen. Wendy Davis to run for governor continues to swell.

On Tuesday, four Texas Democratic groups, including the state party, launched campaigns urging Davis, D-Fort Worth, to enter the race.

The groups, which also included Annie's List, the Lone Star Project and Battleground Texas, sent messages and petitions to supporters on Tuesday in hopes of rallying support for Davis and identifying potential volunteers and donors. 

"Besides wanting to show Wendy Davis that she has a broad network of people who want her to run, we wanted to also ask people what they wanted to do to help her," said Grace Garcia, the executive director of Annie's List, which on Tuesday debuted WeWantWendyDavis.com. "We consider this an online recruiting effort on our part."

Matt Angle, founder of the Lone Star Project, added in an interview with the Austin American-Statesman: "There is a consensus among people who are really looking at the 2014 election that we would like her to run, and we think she has the potential to win. … We hope it encourages her to say yes."

The groups' effort came just over a week after Davis, who was propelled to national stardom in June after filibustering an abortion bill, said she would either run for re-election or run for governor. She has said since that she'll announce her decision within the "next couple of weeks."

Culled

•    Dewhurst Campaign Owes Vendors Nearly $1 Million (The Texas Tribune): "It’s been more than a year since Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst lost his bid to become a U.S. senator, but his campaign still owes consultants and vendors nearly $1 million, Federal Election Commission records show. Aides are blaming alleged embezzlement by a top aide, but some vendors aren't buying that."

•    Ted Cruz takes 'Defund Obamacare' fight to Texas (The Daily Caller): "Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is taking his summer 'Defund Obamacare' campaign to his home state of Texas. Over the next three weeks, while Congress is in recess, Cruz will be traveling his home state attending small business roundtables and chambers of commerce meetings to pitch his 'Defund Obamacare' campaign. … Cruz has already committed to appearing in at least 15 different areas in Texas, including Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi, El Paso and Midland."

•    Campbell draws Republican challenger (San Antonio Express-News): "State Sen. Donna Campbell of New Braunfels, a tea party darling, has drawn her first challenger for the 2014 Republican primary. Mike Novak, a former Bexar County commissioner and one-time chairman of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, told the San Antonio Express-News on Tuesday that he plans to challenge Campbell in Senate District 25."

•    Mayor's race heats up: Hall airs big ad buy; Parker answers (Houston Chronicle): "Houston's mayoral contest wandered into the average citizen's living room for the first time this week, as challenger Ben Hall poured money into TV ads and two-term incumbent Annise Parker responded with a spot of her own. Hall, a wealthy lawyer who largely has self-funded his run, sought to introduce himself to Houston voters with a $520,000 ad buy running from last Thursday through Tuesday. Parker's ad hit the airwaves Tuesday and will run through Thursday, a $25,000 buy."

•    U.S., Filing Suit, Moves to Block Airline Merger (The New York Times): "After a decade of rapid consolidation in the nation’s airline industry, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to block the proposed merger between American Airlines and US Airways, which would create the world’s largest airline. … Joining the Justice Department in filing the suit were attorneys general from Texas and Arizona, where American and US Airways are based, as well as Florida, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia."

Quote to Note: "That would be safe to say, yes." — Former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, asked by Fox News' Neil Cavuto whether he would oppose New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie if he ran for president in 2016

Must-Read

• The Female Factor: Democrats Put Hope in Texas Star, The New York Times
• Wind farm coming to Texas nuclear weapons plant, The Associated Press
• Travis assistant DA charged with DWI, Austin American-Statesman
• U.S. attorney under scrutiny for Facebook posts about Obama, Houston Chronicle
• At 30, DART still faces growing pains, The Dallas Morning News
• Guadalupe River State Park Cuts Back on Water Service, The Texas Tribune