During a press conference at a Fort Worth field office featuring a few people in wheelchairs, Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis doubled down in defending her controversial ad about her opponent, Greg Abbott, according to the Texas Tribune.
The attack ad, which has been heavily criticized by both Republicans and Democrats, portrays an empty wheelchair as it describes the settlement Abbott received after he was paralyzed in an accident.
“A tree fell on Greg Abbott,” the ad beings. “He sued and got millions.”
The ad goes on to accuse Abbott of siding against other plaintiffs who might want to sue.
Texans for Greg Abbott, a group dedicated to defeating Davis in November, released an ad pointing out some of the harshest criticisms of the Davis ad.
“Wendy Davis is running one of the nastiest campaign ads you will ever see,” wrote the Washington Post’s Aaron Blake.
“It’s offensive and nasty and it shouldn’t exist,” wrote Ben Dreyfuss at Mother Jones.
“Wendy Davis wins the prize for the most ill-advised political ad of 2014,” wrote Maya Rhodan at TIME.
“I cringed watching that,” MSNBC host Mika Brzezinksi said Monday on “Morning Joe.”
Davis pollster Joel Benenson told the Texas Tribune the ad was “effective and working.” Maybe for Abbott.
Davis continues to trail Abbott by double digits.
