Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis appeared on MSNBC Tuesday, refusing to apologize for a recent ad that snidely referred to her opponent’s disability.
But Davis went further than that, choosing a rather unfortunate metaphor in response to host Andrea Mitchell’s questions about the criticism over the ad.
“[Greg Abbott] received millions of dollars in a settlement, and since then, in his entire public service career, he has been working to kick that ladder down and deny that same opportunity for justice to other people,” Davis said.
Abbott, who currently serves as attorney general of Texas, was paralyzed from the waist down by a falling tree in 1984. His wheelchair featured prominently in Davis’ ad, which the Washington Post called “one of the nastiest campaign ads you were ever see.” Davis’ campaign doubled down on the attack by calling the ad “effective and working.”
Davis then tripled-down at a press conference Monday. Flanked by others in wheelchairs, Davis continued her line of attack, calling her opponent, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, a hypocrite for receiving a million-dollar settlement for his injury while ruling against several others who had been injured.
Hot Air’s Noah Rothman probably said it best on Twitter:
You know what a really capable and astute politician does when criticized for excessive ad? Makes her entire campaign about that ad.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) October 14, 2014
If this is all Davis is going to talk about in the final weeks of her campaign, Abbott’s double-digit lead isn’t going anywhere.
