Jump to content

Wendy Davis (politician): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Iricova (talk | contribs)
105 edits
m →Early life, education, and family: Dru specifically instead of "the child"
→Early life, education, and family: Wrong. Very Necessary. Cant whitewash it out. She was married for a very long time, claims single motherhood during Gov campaign.
Line 37: Line 37:
Russell began working at age 14, selling newspaper subscriptions for ''[[The Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]'', working at an [[Orange Julius]], and waitressing at her father's restaurant.<ref name=docket111303 >{{cite court |litigants=State of Texas, Plaintiff, vs. United States of America and Eric H. Holder, in his official capacity as Attorney General of the United States, Defendants, and Wendy Davis, et al., Intervenor-Defendants |opinion=Transcript of Bench Trial before Circuit Judge Thomas B. Griffith, District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer, and District Judge Beryl A. Howell |pinpoint=Docket No. CA 11-1303 |court=United States District Court for the District of Columbia |date=January 20, 2012 |url=http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/4am.pdf |accessdate=January 23, 2014 |quote=When I was only 18 I got married. I had a baby, I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old.}}</ref><ref name="StageWest"/> During high school, in May 1980, she moved in with her boyfriend, Frank Underwood, a construction worker, when she was 17.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> In May 1981, Russell graduated from [[Richland High School (Texas)|Richland High School]] in [[North Richland Hills, Texas]]. She became pregnant with her first child, Amber.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> On January 24, 1982, when she was 18, Russell married Underwood in response to the pregnancy.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In the late summer of 1982, after Russell had turned 19, she gave birth to Amber, her first daughter.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> She also separated from Underwood at age 19<ref name="LutherGuardian">{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/26/wendy-davis-dallas-morning-news-inadequate-mother-false|title=Painting Wendy Davis as a bad mother is political sexism at its worst|date=January 26, 2014|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Luther, Jessica |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> and continued to live with Amber.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In December 1983, Russell filed for divorce when she was 20.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> On May 22, 1984, the divorce became official when she was 21 years old.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014">{{cite news |last=Slater |first=Wayne |date=January 18, 2014 |title=As Wendy Davis touts life story in race for governor, key facts blurred |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20140118-as-wendy-davis-touts-life-story-in-race-for-governor-key-facts-blurred.ece |newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News|Dallas Morning News]] |location=[[Dallas, Texas]] |publisher=James M. Moroney III |accessdate=January 20, 2014 }}</ref> On January 20, 2012, in a federal court case on [[redistricting]], Russell said in her testimony, "I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old".<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name=docket111303 /><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> She said in her speech announcing her bid for Governor in October 2013, "By the time I was nineteen, I was already on my way to divorce".<ref>{{cite web |date=October 3, 2013 |title=It’s Official: Wendy Davis is running for Governor |url=http://nightcaptv.com/2013/10/03/its-official-wendy-davis-is-running-for-governor |website=nightcaptv.com |author=Shepherd, Mark |publisher=[[Tribune Broadcasting]] |accessdate=February 19, 2014}}</ref> In January 2014, Davis admitted to ''[[The Dallas Morning News|Dallas Morning News]]'' there were inaccuracies in her description of her early life used to pitch herself to voters. She stated, "My language should be tighter. I’m learning about using broader, looser language. I need to be more focused on the detail."<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014">{{cite news |last=Killough |first=Ashley |date=January 20, 2014 |title=Report: Wendy Davis' life story more complicated than compelling narrative |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/20/report-wendy-davis-life-story-more-complicated-than-compelling-narrative/ |newspaper=CNN |accessdate=January 20, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> The newspaper contended that that Davis became a single mother when her divorce was finalized at age 21, not 19.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014" /><ref name="LutherGuardian" />
Russell began working at age 14, selling newspaper subscriptions for ''[[The Fort Worth Star-Telegram]]'', working at an [[Orange Julius]], and waitressing at her father's restaurant.<ref name=docket111303 >{{cite court |litigants=State of Texas, Plaintiff, vs. United States of America and Eric H. Holder, in his official capacity as Attorney General of the United States, Defendants, and Wendy Davis, et al., Intervenor-Defendants |opinion=Transcript of Bench Trial before Circuit Judge Thomas B. Griffith, District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer, and District Judge Beryl A. Howell |pinpoint=Docket No. CA 11-1303 |court=United States District Court for the District of Columbia |date=January 20, 2012 |url=http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/4am.pdf |accessdate=January 23, 2014 |quote=When I was only 18 I got married. I had a baby, I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old.}}</ref><ref name="StageWest"/> During high school, in May 1980, she moved in with her boyfriend, Frank Underwood, a construction worker, when she was 17.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> In May 1981, Russell graduated from [[Richland High School (Texas)|Richland High School]] in [[North Richland Hills, Texas]]. She became pregnant with her first child, Amber.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> On January 24, 1982, when she was 18, Russell married Underwood in response to the pregnancy.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In the late summer of 1982, after Russell had turned 19, she gave birth to Amber, her first daughter.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> She also separated from Underwood at age 19<ref name="LutherGuardian">{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/26/wendy-davis-dallas-morning-news-inadequate-mother-false|title=Painting Wendy Davis as a bad mother is political sexism at its worst|date=January 26, 2014|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Luther, Jessica |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> and continued to live with Amber.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In December 1983, Russell filed for divorce when she was 20.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> On May 22, 1984, the divorce became official when she was 21 years old.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014">{{cite news |last=Slater |first=Wayne |date=January 18, 2014 |title=As Wendy Davis touts life story in race for governor, key facts blurred |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20140118-as-wendy-davis-touts-life-story-in-race-for-governor-key-facts-blurred.ece |newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News|Dallas Morning News]] |location=[[Dallas, Texas]] |publisher=James M. Moroney III |accessdate=January 20, 2014 }}</ref> On January 20, 2012, in a federal court case on [[redistricting]], Russell said in her testimony, "I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old".<ref name="nytimes" /><ref name=docket111303 /><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> She said in her speech announcing her bid for Governor in October 2013, "By the time I was nineteen, I was already on my way to divorce".<ref>{{cite web |date=October 3, 2013 |title=It’s Official: Wendy Davis is running for Governor |url=http://nightcaptv.com/2013/10/03/its-official-wendy-davis-is-running-for-governor |website=nightcaptv.com |author=Shepherd, Mark |publisher=[[Tribune Broadcasting]] |accessdate=February 19, 2014}}</ref> In January 2014, Davis admitted to ''[[The Dallas Morning News|Dallas Morning News]]'' there were inaccuracies in her description of her early life used to pitch herself to voters. She stated, "My language should be tighter. I’m learning about using broader, looser language. I need to be more focused on the detail."<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014">{{cite news |last=Killough |first=Ashley |date=January 20, 2014 |title=Report: Wendy Davis' life story more complicated than compelling narrative |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/20/report-wendy-davis-life-story-more-complicated-than-compelling-narrative/ |newspaper=CNN |accessdate=January 20, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> The newspaper contended that that Davis became a single mother when her divorce was finalized at age 21, not 19.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014" /><ref name="LutherGuardian" />


Russell attended [[University of Texas at Arlington]] for one semester, but had to stop attending due to a lack of money.<ref name=NYTBio /> Russell worked as a waitress at her father's Stage West Theatre café four nights a week while working as a receptionist in a pediatrician's office in the morning.<ref name="fwweekly">{{cite news|title=Wendy Davis stuck her neck out for schoolkids.|author=McGraw, D.|url=http://www.fwweekly.com/2011/08/31/wendy-davis-stuck-her-neck-out-for-schoolkids/|newspaper=Fort Worth Weekly|date=August 31, 2011|accessdate=June 26, 2013}}</ref> While working as a waitress for her father's restaurant in 1983 at age 20, Russell was introduced by her father to Fort Worth lawyer and former city councilman Jeffry R. Davis, who was 14 years her senior.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name="bloomberg1"/><ref name=NYTBio>{{cite news|last=Draper|first=Robert|title=Can Wendy Davis Have It All?|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/magazine/wendy-davis.html|accessdate=13 February 2014|newspaper=New York Times|date=12 February 2014}}</ref> Russell and Davis "dated two or three years"; then married on May 30, 1987 when Russell was 24.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> Davis would ultimately adopt Russell's daughter, Amber.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name=NYTBio /> Russell enrolled in a two-year [[paralegal]] program at [[Tarrant County College|Tarrant County Junior College]], attending from 1984 to 1986.<ref name=docket111303 /> Russell and Davis settled in the historic [[List of neighborhoods in Fort Worth, Texas#Mistletoe Heights|Mistletoe Heights]] neighborhood in Fort Worth. <ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> After Tarrant College, Russell started attending [[Texas Christian University]] in 1986.<ref name=docket111303 /> Their daughter Dru was born in September 1988, while Wendy was still attending TCU. In May 1990, she graduated from TCU at the top of her class, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.<ref name="texastribune" /><ref name="Wendy Davis LinkedIn">{{cite web|title=Wendy Davis LinkedIn|url=http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendydavistexas|publisher=LinkedIn|accessdate=June 27, 2013}}</ref> Wendy moved with her daughters to [[Lexington, Massachusetts]] to attend Harvard in the fall.<ref name=NYTBio /> After the first semester, her daughters returned to Texas to live with Jeff Davis and with Wendy's mother helping to care for them.<ref name=NYTBio /> Wendy flew back to see her family when she could for the remainder of her degree.<ref name=NYTBio />
Russell attended [[University of Texas at Arlington]] for one semester, but had to stop attending due to a lack of money.<ref name=NYTBio /> Russell worked as a waitress at her father's Stage West Theatre café four nights a week while working as a receptionist in a pediatrician's office in the morning.<ref name="fwweekly">{{cite news|title=Wendy Davis stuck her neck out for schoolkids.|author=McGraw, D.|url=http://www.fwweekly.com/2011/08/31/wendy-davis-stuck-her-neck-out-for-schoolkids/|newspaper=Fort Worth Weekly|date=August 31, 2011|accessdate=June 26, 2013}}</ref> While working as a waitress for her father's restaurant in 1983 at age 20, Russell was introduced by her father to Fort Worth lawyer and former city councilman Jeffry R. Davis, who was 14 years her senior.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name="bloomberg1"/><ref name=NYTBio>{{cite news|last=Draper|first=Robert|title=Can Wendy Davis Have It All?|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/magazine/wendy-davis.html|accessdate=13 February 2014|newspaper=New York Times|date=12 February 2014}}</ref> Russell and Davis "dated two or three years"; then married on May 30, 1987 when Russell was 24.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> They remained married for over 18 years and Davis would ultimately adopt Russell's daughter, Amber.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name=NYTBio /> Russell enrolled in a two-year [[paralegal]] program at [[Tarrant County College|Tarrant County Junior College]], attending from 1984 to 1986.<ref name=docket111303 /> Russell and Davis settled in the historic [[List of neighborhoods in Fort Worth, Texas#Mistletoe Heights|Mistletoe Heights]] neighborhood in Fort Worth. <ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/> After Tarrant College, Russell started attending [[Texas Christian University]] in 1986.<ref name=docket111303 /> Their daughter Dru was born in September 1988, while Wendy was still attending TCU. In May 1990, she graduated from TCU at the top of her class, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.<ref name="texastribune" /><ref name="Wendy Davis LinkedIn">{{cite web|title=Wendy Davis LinkedIn|url=http://www.linkedin.com/in/wendydavistexas|publisher=LinkedIn|accessdate=June 27, 2013}}</ref> Wendy moved with her daughters to [[Lexington, Massachusetts]] to attend Harvard in the fall.<ref name=NYTBio /> After the first semester, her daughters returned to Texas to live with Jeff Davis and with Wendy's mother helping to care for them.<ref name=NYTBio /> Wendy flew back to see her family when she could for the remainder of her degree.<ref name=NYTBio />


Jeff Davis helped pay for Wendy's last two years at TCU and her education at Harvard Law School from 1990 to 1993.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In 1992, Jeff Davis took out a 10-year loan to help pay her tuition. In August 2013, ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' reported that Wendy recounted how they cashed Jeff's [[401(k)]] to pay her tuition<ref name="Vogue_Aug2013p2">{{cite web|url=http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/stand-and-deliver-texas-senator-wendy-davis/#2|title=Stand and Deliver: After Her 12-Hour Filibuster, How Far Will Texas Senator Wendy Davis Run?|date=August 15, 2013|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Mitchell, Heidi|website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]|page=2}}</ref> and the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that his 401(k) and the loan he took out helped pay for tuition and rent in Massachusetts.<ref name="NYT_20130831">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/us/spotlight-on-wendy-davis-the-democrats-big-hope.html?pagewanted=all |title=Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats' Big Hope |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 31, 2013 |author=Root, Jay}}</ref> Jeff later stated he also took out his 401(k) because some of his investments were affected by the market downturn.<ref name="CNN_JeffStmt">{{cite web|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/22/ex-husband-wendy-davis-would-be-a-very-capable-governor/|title= Ex-husband: Wendy Davis would be a 'very capable governor'|date=January 22, 2014|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Killough, Ashley; Lavandera, Ed; Morris, Jason |publisher=[[CNN]] }}</ref> In January 2014, controversy emerged about her statements that she paid for university by scholarships, grants, student loans, and working multiple jobs; rarely mentioning Jeff's financial contributions.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="CNN_JeffStmt" /><ref name="LutherGuardian" />
Jeff Davis helped pay for Wendy's last two years at TCU and her education at Harvard Law School from 1990 to 1993.<ref name="DallasMNSlater01182014"/><ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/> In 1992, Jeff Davis took out a 10-year loan to help pay her tuition. In August 2013, ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' reported that Wendy recounted how they cashed Jeff's [[401(k)]] to pay her tuition<ref name="Vogue_Aug2013p2">{{cite web|url=http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/stand-and-deliver-texas-senator-wendy-davis/#2|title=Stand and Deliver: After Her 12-Hour Filibuster, How Far Will Texas Senator Wendy Davis Run?|date=August 15, 2013|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Mitchell, Heidi|website=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]|page=2}}</ref> and the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that his 401(k) and the loan he took out helped pay for tuition and rent in Massachusetts.<ref name="NYT_20130831">{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/us/spotlight-on-wendy-davis-the-democrats-big-hope.html?pagewanted=all |title=Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats' Big Hope |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=August 31, 2013 |author=Root, Jay}}</ref> Jeff later stated he also took out his 401(k) because some of his investments were affected by the market downturn.<ref name="CNN_JeffStmt">{{cite web|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/22/ex-husband-wendy-davis-would-be-a-very-capable-governor/|title= Ex-husband: Wendy Davis would be a 'very capable governor'|date=January 22, 2014|accessdate=February 18, 2014|author=Killough, Ashley; Lavandera, Ed; Morris, Jason |publisher=[[CNN]] }}</ref> In January 2014, controversy emerged about her statements that she paid for university by scholarships, grants, student loans, and working multiple jobs; rarely mentioning Jeff's financial contributions.<ref name="KilloughCNN01202014"/><ref name="CNN_JeffStmt" /><ref name="LutherGuardian" />

Revision as of 22:01, 19 February 2014

Wendy Davis
File:Wendy Davis 2013.jpeg
Member of the Texas Senate
from the 10th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2009
Preceded byKim Brimer
Member of the Fort Worth City Council
from the 9th district
In office
May 1, 1999 – January 8, 2008
Preceded byCathy Hirt
Succeeded byJoel Burns
Personal details
Born
Wendy Jean Russell[1]

(1963-05-16) May 16, 1963 (age 61)
West Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (2006–present)
Republican (Before 2006)
Spouse(s)
Frank Underwood
​
​
(m. 1982; div. 1984)​

Jeff Davis
​
​
(m. 1987; div. 2005)​
ChildrenAmber (born 1982)
Dru (born 1988)
Alma materTarrant County College
Texas Christian University
Harvard University
Signature
WebsiteOfficial campaign website

Wendy Russell Davis[3] (born Wendy Jean Russell,[1] May 16, 1963) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from Fort Worth, Texas. She represents District 10 in the Texas Senate. She previously served on the Fort Worth city council.

On June 25, 2013, Davis held an eleven hour long filibuster to block Senate Bill 5, a measure which included more restrictive abortion regulations for Texas. The filibuster played a major role in Senate Democrats' efforts to delay passage of the bill beyond the midnight deadline for the end of the legislative session, though it ultimately passed in a second session. The filibuster brought Davis national attention, and it led to suggestions of a run for governor.[4][5] On October 3, 2013, she announced she would run for Governor of Texas in the 2014 election.[5]

Early life, education, and family

Wendy Russell was born in West Warwick, Rhode Island,[6] and moved to Fort Worth with her family at age 11. Her father, Jerry Russell, worked at National Cash Register (now known as the NCR Corporation).[7] He started a restaurant and named it European Sandwich Shoppe.[8] On October 18, 1979, he became an actor and director when he founded Stage West Theatre, a professional theatre company, which operates in downtown Fort Worth.[8][7][9] Her parents divorced in 1976, when Wendy was 13 years old.[10] Russell was raised by her mother, Virginia "Ginger" Cornstubble,[5] who had a ninth-grade education and three other children. Russell states that her mother did not receive child support.[11] Russell's mother worked at a Braum's ice cream shop and later became a restaurant manager.[12][13]

Russell began working at age 14, selling newspaper subscriptions for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, working at an Orange Julius, and waitressing at her father's restaurant.[14][8] During high school, in May 1980, she moved in with her boyfriend, Frank Underwood, a construction worker, when she was 17.[15][16] In May 1981, Russell graduated from Richland High School in North Richland Hills, Texas. She became pregnant with her first child, Amber.[15][16] On January 24, 1982, when she was 18, Russell married Underwood in response to the pregnancy.[15] In the late summer of 1982, after Russell had turned 19, she gave birth to Amber, her first daughter.[15] She also separated from Underwood at age 19[17] and continued to live with Amber.[15] In December 1983, Russell filed for divorce when she was 20.[15] On May 22, 1984, the divorce became official when she was 21 years old.[16] On January 20, 2012, in a federal court case on redistricting, Russell said in her testimony, "I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old".[13][14][16] She said in her speech announcing her bid for Governor in October 2013, "By the time I was nineteen, I was already on my way to divorce".[18] In January 2014, Davis admitted to Dallas Morning News there were inaccuracies in her description of her early life used to pitch herself to voters. She stated, "My language should be tighter. I’m learning about using broader, looser language. I need to be more focused on the detail."[15][16] The newspaper contended that that Davis became a single mother when her divorce was finalized at age 21, not 19.[15][17]

Russell attended University of Texas at Arlington for one semester, but had to stop attending due to a lack of money.[10] Russell worked as a waitress at her father's Stage West Theatre café four nights a week while working as a receptionist in a pediatrician's office in the morning.[9] While working as a waitress for her father's restaurant in 1983 at age 20, Russell was introduced by her father to Fort Worth lawyer and former city councilman Jeffry R. Davis, who was 14 years her senior.[16][12][10] Russell and Davis "dated two or three years"; then married on May 30, 1987 when Russell was 24.[16] They remained married for over 18 years and Davis would ultimately adopt Russell's daughter, Amber.[16][10] Russell enrolled in a two-year paralegal program at Tarrant County Junior College, attending from 1984 to 1986.[14] Russell and Davis settled in the historic Mistletoe Heights neighborhood in Fort Worth. [16] After Tarrant College, Russell started attending Texas Christian University in 1986.[14] Their daughter Dru was born in September 1988, while Wendy was still attending TCU. In May 1990, she graduated from TCU at the top of her class, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.[7][19] Wendy moved with her daughters to Lexington, Massachusetts to attend Harvard in the fall.[10] After the first semester, her daughters returned to Texas to live with Jeff Davis and with Wendy's mother helping to care for them.[10] Wendy flew back to see her family when she could for the remainder of her degree.[10]

Jeff Davis helped pay for Wendy's last two years at TCU and her education at Harvard Law School from 1990 to 1993.[16][15] In 1992, Jeff Davis took out a 10-year loan to help pay her tuition. In August 2013, Vogue reported that Wendy recounted how they cashed Jeff's 401(k) to pay her tuition[20] and the New York Times reported that his 401(k) and the loan he took out helped pay for tuition and rent in Massachusetts.[21] Jeff later stated he also took out his 401(k) because some of his investments were affected by the market downturn.[22] In January 2014, controversy emerged about her statements that she paid for university by scholarships, grants, student loans, and working multiple jobs; rarely mentioning Jeff's financial contributions.[15][22][17]

At Harvard, she volunteered at a legal clinic for the poor, where she helped AIDS patients write living wills and surviving partners with their legal rights.[12] In May 1993, she earned her law degree with cum laude honors.[23][24] She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 1993.[25]

In November 2003, with 15-year-old Dru still living in the house, Wendy moved out.[10] In January 2014, Jeff Davis was reported as saying she moved out around the time that the final payment on the law school loan was due, saying, “It was ironic. I made the last payment, and it was the next day she left.”[17] Jeff later told CNN he was displeased with the reaction to and reporting of his comments about Wendy, saying "Certain comments seem to always be taken out of context".[22] When the divorce settlement was finalized in 2005, the former couple shared "joint conservatorship" over Dru, who primarily lived with Jeff in the family home.[26] In the divorce settlement, Jeff was given the "right to designate the primary residence" of Dru and Wendy agreed to pay $1200 a month in child support.[26][10] Both parents retained the right to decisions about Dru's other needs.[26] Amber was a young adult in college the time of the divorce.[26]

Law career

Early in her law career Davis served in a federal clerkship under U.S. District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer from 1993 to 1994. In 1994, she joined the Fort Worth office of Haynes & Boone and began practicing specialized litigation.[10] She quit Haynes & Boone in "about two years".[10] In 1999, her husband, Jeff Davis started Safeco Title Co. of Fort Worth, Texas.[16][23] When asked what she did in her four years with Safeco, a top supervisor said: “Nothing. She was never in a strategy meeting, a marketing meeting, an escrow meeting or a compliance meeting. I never once saw her on the premises of our office. There was no reason for Safeco to have her on the payroll.”[10] She became part owner.[16][23] The title company was sold to Republic Title as part of their divorce decree.[16][23] She continued to work at the Fort Worth branch of Republic Title until 2009.[23] Davis joined Cantey Hanger in an Of Counsel role in March 2010.[23] Davis' of counsel relationship with Cantey Hanger ended on December 31, 2013.[27] She partnered with Brian Newby to open Newby Davis, PLLC in March 2010.[23] Her current practice includes federal and local governmental affairs, litigation, economic development, contract compliance and real estate matters.[28]

Political career

City Council

Davis first ran for the Fort Worth city council in 1996, losing by just 90 votes.[10][7] After her defeat Davis sued the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, American Broadcasting Company, and the Disney Company, which at the time owned the Star-Telegram and ABC.[7] The Texas Tribune stated that she alleged "that biased coverage led to her defeat and caused injury to her physical and mental health".[7] Her claims were rejected by the Texas courts, based upon the Star-Telegram's First Amendment free speech grounds.[7][29]

Davis was first elected to the Fort Worth city council in 1999. During her nine-year tenure as a Councilmember, Davis focused on transportation, economic development and neighborhood issues. She also worked on economic development projects, such as the Montgomery Plaza renovation, the Tower, Pier One and Radio Shack campuses.[28]

Republican politics

While serving on Fort Worth City Council, Davis voted in the Republican Party primaries. Davis has said she was Republican because she liked Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger and she wanted to vote on judicial nominees in Republican primaries.[16] She voted in the Republican primaries in 1996, 1998 and 2006 and she has given $1,500 to Granger.[30] Also, in April 1999, she gave $250 to former Republican President George W. Bush's first presidential campaign.[31][32]

State Senate

Davis represents Texas Senate, District 10, which includes portions of Tarrant County, Texas. In 2008, she defeated incumbent Republican Senator Kim Brimer for the seat, despite a legal challenge against her candidacy by the state Republican Party.[33][10] Davis was re-elected in 2012, defeating a challenge from Mark Shelton, a Fort Worth pediatrician and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives.[34] Davis is the Vice-Chair on the Senate Select Committee on Open Government. She is also a Member of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, the Senate Committee on Transportation, and the Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee. She previously served on the Senate Committee for Education and as Vice-Chair on the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade.[35]

On May 29, 2011, Davis launched a filibuster of a budget bill that cut $4 billion from public education in the state, resulting in a special session called by Texas Gov. Rick Perry.[36]

Davis has been honored with awards and recognitions during her first term in the Texas Legislature, including the "Bold Woman Award" from Girls, Inc., "Freshman of the Year" from AARP, "Champion for Children Award" from the Equity Center, and "Texas Women's Health Champion Award" from the Texas Association of OB-GYNs. In 2009, Texas Monthly named her "Rookie of the Year".[37] She was also chosen by the readers of Fort Worth Weekly as the "Best Servant of the People".[24] In January 2012, Davis was listed among "12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012" by Governing Magazine[38] and was mentioned as a possible candidate for statewide races.[39]

Early in the 83rd Session, senators drew for terms in a post-redistricting, once-a-decade process. Davis drew a two-year term and will be up for re-election in November 2014.[40] In March 2013, she announced her intention to run for re-election to the Senate.[41] On October 3, 2013, she changed her mind and announced a candidacy for Texas Governor instead of re-election to the State Senate.

2013 filibuster

See also: Texas Senate Bill 5

On June 25, 2013, Davis began a filibuster to block the Senate Bill 5, "the bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, require abortion clinics to meet the same standards that hospital-style surgical centers do, and mandate that a doctor who performs abortions have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital."[42] She attempted to maintain the floor until midnight, when the Senate's special session ended, after which the state Senate would no longer be able to vote on the measure.[43] Following an 11-hour filibuster – three hours short of midnight – Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst ruled that Davis had gone off topic, forcing a vote on whether the filibuster could continue.[44] Despite Republican efforts, parliamentary inquiries from Leticia R. Van de Putte and others as well as raucous cheering and yelling from the political activists gathered in the Capitol carried on through midnight and the close of the special session.[45] Following the deadline, Republicans indicated that a vote had taken place and passed, while Democrats declared that the vote had taken place after midnight, making it void.[45] Dewhurst later conceded that the bill was dead.[46][47] On the 26th, Governor Rick Perry added the bill as part of three bills in a second special session to be debated again.[48][49] The bill was eventually passed by both the House and the Senate in the July 2013 second special session,[50][51][52] prompting one commentator to state that "Wendy Davis won the battle, but Rick Perry won the war."[53] The bill was signed by Gov. Rick Perry on July 18, 2013.[54]

The filibuster attracted national attention, including in The New York Times and The Washington Post.[55][56] National fundraising by and speculation about a gubernatorial run for Davis also followed.[57] Davis has been encouraged to run by groups like Battleground Texas and EMILY's List.[58]

Campaign for Governor of Texas

Main article: Texas gubernatorial election, 2014

Davis announced her intention to run for Governor of Texas in the 2014 election on October 3, 2013.

Political positions

Upon examining Davis' voting record over her three terms in the Texas Senate, Mark P. Jones, the Chairman of the Department of Political Science at Rice University, found that Davis was the fourth-most liberal senator out of the 31 state senators (including Davis) that served in at least two of the three terms Davis had served in. Jones found that she was "significantly more liberal" than John Whitmire, Juan Hinojosa, Carlos Uresti, and Eddie Lucio, Jr., who represent the centrist wing of the Texas Senate Democrats, "significantly more conservative" than José R. Rodríguez, the most liberal Texas Senate Democrat, and "statistically indistinguishable" from the other six Texas Senate Democrats.[59]

Abortion

In 2009 and 2011, Davis voted against a bill that requires physicians to perform a sonogram on and provide other information to abortion patients prior to an abortion. In 2011, she would also vote against a bill that requires an ultrasound prior to an abortion.[60][61]

On June 25, 2013, she held an eleven hour long filibuster to block Senate Bill 5, a measure which included more restrictive abortion regulations for Texas. The filibuster played a major role in Senate Democrats' efforts to delay passage of the bill beyond the midnight deadline for the end of the legislative session, though it ultimately passed in a second session.[10] On August 5, 2013, when asked about what legal limits on abortion she would support, she replied, "You know, the Supreme Court has made that decision. And it’s one of the protected liberties under our Constitution. And I respect the constitutional protections that are in place today." In October 2013, campaign spokesman Bo Delp told Politifact by email it’s incorrect to say Davis opposes any limits. "Like most Texans, Sen. Davis opposes late-term abortions except when the life or health of the mother is endangered, in cases of rape or incest or in the case of severe and irreversible fetal abnormalities," Delp said.[61] Also in October 2013, EMILY's List endorsed Wendy Davis for Governor in 2014.[62]

On February 11, 2014, Davis said that she would have supported a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, if the law adequately deferred to a woman and her doctor. She said she found the ban on abortions after 20 weeks to be the “least objectionable” provision in the abortion bill she filibustered last year.[63]

Gun rights

While on the Fort Worth City Council, Davis supported gun restrictions, including for gun shows at city facilities.[64]

In 2011, she voted against a bill that authorizes concealed handgun permit holders to carry concealed handguns while on the campus of an institution of higher education.[65]

In 2013, she voted for a bill establishing certain tax exemptions for firearms manufacturers, along with a bill that authorizes certain university students to transport a licensed handgun or ammunition in a locked motor vehicle on a college or university campus.[65]

On February 6, 2014, she expressed support proposed open carry gun law in Texas, which is currently banned under Texas state law. The state senator from Fort Worth said such a law should allow private property owners to determine whether weapons could be openly carried on their property. She also said background checks and training requirements would "help ensure that only mentally stable, law-abiding citizens may carry, whether concealed or open."[66] She later said that she believes municipalities should be able to decide whether the proposed open carry and existing concealed carry laws should be used in their limits.[67]

LGBT rights

In 2000, Davis voted for Forth Worth's nondiscrimination ordinance based on sexual orientation.[68]

In 2011, she authored the only LGBT-inclusive version of anti-bullying legislation and co-sponsored youth suicide prevention legislation and lobbied to kill an anti-transgender marriage bill.[68]

In 2013, she co-authored the Senate version of a statewide workplace nondiscrimination bill, co-authored inclusive insurance nondiscrimination legislation, and she was one of only two senators to voted against a anti-trans marriage bill.[68]

In January 2014, Human Rights Campaign endorsed Wendy Davis for Governor in 2014.[69] On February 13, 2014, she expressed support for same-sex marriage and that Attorney General Greg Abbott, her presumed general-election opponent in the race for governor, should stop defending the state's ban on same-sex marriage.[70]

Marijuana

On February 11, 2014, Davis expressed support for decriminalizing marijuana. She said she would back legislation to decrease criminal provisions for possession of small amounts of marijuana and believes medical marijuana should be left to the voters.[63]

Electoral history

She lost her first race for Fort Worth City Council in 1996, but after her election in 1999 she served a nine-year tenure in the Fort Worth City Council. Davis ran unopposed in the 2001 and 2005 general elections. Her Texas State Senate career began after she unseated the Republican incumbent in 2008 and subsequently won reelection in 2012.

References

  1. ^ a b County Clerk (January 24, 1982), Marriage Index, vol. 216, Tarrant County, Texas, p. 631 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ "Wendy Davis' Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  3. ^ Fikac, Peggy (October 28, 2013). "New voting law required Davis to affirm her identity". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  4. ^ O'Brien, Michael (July 1, 2013). "Rising Texas political star Davis takes second look at governor's race". NBC News.
  5. ^ a b c Tinsley, Anna M. (October 3, 2013). "Davis makes it official: she's running for governor". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The McClatchy Company.
  6. ^ Walker, T. (June 28, 2013). "Wendy Davis: Single mother from trailer park who has become heroine of pro-choice movement". London Independent. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Root, Jay (September 1, 2013). "Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats' Big Hope". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c History: Stage West Theater, Ft. Worth, Texas
  9. ^ a b McGraw, D. (August 31, 2011). "Wendy Davis stuck her neck out for schoolkids". Fort Worth Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Draper, Robert (February 12, 2014). "Can Wendy Davis Have It All?". New York Times. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
  11. ^ Manny Fernandez (January 20, 2014). "Accused of Blurring Facts of Stirring Life Story, Texas Lawmaker Offers Chronology". New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2014. Gardner Selby, W. (June 28, 2013). "Rick Perry says Wendy Davis is daughter of single mother and was a teenage mother herself". PolitiFact. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
  12. ^ a b c Crawford, Amanda J. & David Mildenberg (September 4, 2013). "Harvard Law Put Davis on Path From Teen Mom to Politician". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  13. ^ a b Ramshaw, E. (June 4, 2011). "A Filibuster Creates an Overnight Celebrity". New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  14. ^ a b c d State of Texas, Plaintiff, vs. United States of America and Eric H. Holder, in his official capacity as Attorney General of the United States, Defendants, and Wendy Davis, et al., Intervenor-Defendants, Transcript of Bench Trial before Circuit Judge Thomas B. Griffith, District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer, and District Judge Beryl A. Howell, Docket No. CA 11-1303 (United States District Court for the District of Columbia January 20, 2012) ("When I was only 18 I got married. I had a baby, I got divorced by the time I was 19 years old.").
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Killough, Ashley (January 20, 2014). "Report: Wendy Davis' life story more complicated than compelling narrative". CNN. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Slater, Wayne (January 18, 2014). "As Wendy Davis touts life story in race for governor, key facts blurred". Dallas Morning News. Dallas, Texas: James M. Moroney III. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  17. ^ a b c d Luther, Jessica (January 26, 2014). "Painting Wendy Davis as a bad mother is political sexism at its worst". The Guardian. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  18. ^ Shepherd, Mark (October 3, 2013). "It's Official: Wendy Davis is running for Governor". nightcaptv.com. Tribune Broadcasting. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  19. ^ "Wendy Davis LinkedIn". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  20. ^ Mitchell, Heidi (August 15, 2013). "Stand and Deliver: After Her 12-Hour Filibuster, How Far Will Texas Senator Wendy Davis Run?". Vogue. p. 2. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  21. ^ Root, Jay (August 31, 2013). "Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats' Big Hope". The New York Times.
  22. ^ a b c Killough, Ashley; Lavandera, Ed; Morris, Jason (January 22, 2014). "Ex-husband: Wendy Davis would be a 'very capable governor'". CNN. Retrieved February 18, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b c d e f g "Cantey Hanger, LLP: Wendy R. Davis, Counsel, Fort Worth Office". http://www.canteyhanger.com/. Cantey Hanger LLP. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  24. ^ a b "Senator Wendy Davis: District 10". Texas State Senate. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  25. ^ Record, State Bar of Texas, Wendy Davis, at [1].
  26. ^ a b c d "Wendy Davis never gave up parental role, though she agreed to daughter primarily living with father in family's home". PolitiFact. January 30, 2014. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  27. ^ Fikac, Peggy (February 5, 2014). "Wendy Davis no longer 'of counsel' to Fort Worth law firm". Express-News. San Antonio: Hearst Corporation. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  28. ^ a b "Partners & Staff - Newby Davis, PLLC".
  29. ^ "Metro & Texas Digest", Fort Worth Star-Telegram, November 3, 2000
  30. ^ Root, Jay. Spotlight on Davis, the Democrats' Big Hope, Texas Tribune, September 1, 2013.
  31. ^ Martel, Frances (January 27, 2014). "Before Becoming a Democrat Darling, Wendy Davis Donated to George W. Bush". Brietbart.com. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  32. ^ "Donor Lookup". OpenSecrets.org. The Center for Responsive Politics. Retrieved January 28, 2014. DAVIS, WENDY; FORT WORTH,TX 76102; HOMEMAKER; 4/28/99; $250; Bush, George W (R)
  33. ^ "Wendy Davis Defeats Sen. Kim Brimer". Quorum Report. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  34. ^ Ramshaw, E. (November 6, 2012). "Wendy Davis Clinches Re-election in SD-10". Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  35. ^ "Texas Tribune - State Sen. Wendy Davis". Texas Tribune. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
  36. ^ Ramshaw, E. (June 4, 2011). "A Filibuster Creates an Overnight Celebrity". New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  37. ^ Burka, P.; Hart, P. (July 2009). "The Best and Worst Legislators 2009". Texas Monthly. Retrieved July 1, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ Jacobson, L. (January 2012). "12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012". Governing Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  39. ^ Montgomery, D. (January 19, 2013). "Is Sen. Wendy Davis poised for statewide race?". Star-Telegraph. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  40. ^ Parker, K. (January 23, 2013). "Political futures at risk as Senators draw terms". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  41. ^ Montgomery, D. (March 31, 2013). "Davis re-states intention to run for Senate". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  42. ^ Fernandez, M. (June 25, 2013). "Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill". New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  43. ^ Tomlinson, C.; Vertuno, J. (June 26, 2013). "Marathon filibuster: Overnight drama stalls Texas abortion vote". KHOU. Retrieved June 26, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  44. ^ Sutton, J.; Smith, M. (June 25, 2013). "Lawmaker's filibuster to kill Texas abortion bill ends early". CNN. Retrieved June 25, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ a b King, Michael (June 26, 2013). "Yea or Nay?". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  46. ^ "Liveblog: Senators Trying to Determine if Abortion Bill Passed". The Texas Tribune. June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  47. ^ Helen Davidson (June 26, 2013). "Wendy Davis filibuster and public protest defeat Texas abortion bill: Texas senator stages 11-hour filibuster to block bill • Vote derailed, lieutenant governor blames 'mob'". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  48. ^ "Texas Gov. Rick Perry calls 2nd special session to pass abortion bill". CBS News. June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  49. ^ "Texas Gov. Perry calls second special session on abortion". Fox News. Associated Press. June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  50. ^ Schwartz, John. Texas Senate Vote Puts Bill Restricting Abortion Over Final Hurdle, New York Times, July 2013.
  51. ^ Weiner, Rachel. Texas state Senate passes abortion restrictions, Washington Post, July 13, 2013.
  52. ^ MacLaggan, Corrie. Texas passes abortion restriction bill, governor certain to sign, Reuters, July 13, 2013.
  53. ^ Woodruff, Betsy. Texas: How Pro-Lifers Won, National Review, July 2013.
  54. ^ Luthra, Shefali. Perry Signs Abortion Bill into Law, Texas Tribune, July 18, 2013.
  55. ^ [2]
  56. ^ [3]
  57. ^ "Battleground Texas surpasses $1M", Politico, July 15, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  58. ^ Fikac, Peggy (August 13, 2013). "Drafting Wendy Davis for governor UPDATE". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  59. ^ Jones, Mark P. (July 10, 2013). "How does Wendy Davis stack up ideologically among other Texas democrats?". Pegasus News. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
  60. ^ "Wendy Davis' Voting Records on Issue: Abortion". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  61. ^ a b "Davis opposes late-term abortions, with certain exceptions". Retrieved February 18, 2013. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  62. ^ Joseph, Cameron (October 4, 2013). "EMILY's List endorses Wendy Davis". The Hill. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  63. ^ a b FERNANDEZ, MANNY (February 13, 2014). "Wendy Davis calls on Greg Abbott to stop defending same-sex marriage ban". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  64. ^ JEFFERS, GROMER (February 13, 2014). "Wendy Davis, Texas Candidate, Offers Nuance on Abortion View". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  65. ^ a b "Wendy Davis' Voting Records on Issue: Guns". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  66. ^ "Wendy Davis supports open carry gun law in Texas". 2/6/14. Retrieved February 18, 2013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  67. ^ Fikac, Peggy (February 10, 2014). "Wendy Davis: Cities should be able to decide on guns". My San Antonio.
  68. ^ a b c Waugh, Anna (February 11, 2014). "Wendy Davis backs 20-week abortion ban that defers to women". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  69. ^ "HRC Endorses Wendy Davis for Texas Governor". Human Rights Campaign. January 29, 2014.
  70. ^ Fikac, Peggy (February 13, 2014). "Wendy Davis calls on Greg Abbott to stop defending same-sex marriage ban". Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  71. ^ "1999 Cumulative Election Report". City of Fort Worth. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
  72. ^ "2003 Cumulative Election Report". City of Fort Worth. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
  73. ^ "2007 Cumulative Election Report" (PDF). City of Fort Worth. p. 3. Retrieved October 16, 2010.
  74. ^ "2008 General Election". Secretary of State of Texas. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  75. ^ "2012 General Election". Secretary of State of Texas. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
Texas Senate
Preceded by Member of the Texas Senate
from the 10th district
2009–present 		Incumbent

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wendy_Davis_(politician)&oldid=596246722"