Former Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis opened up on Politicolast week about a campaign regret. In a revealing bit of honesty, Davis said her decision to support the open carry of handguns during her campaign has haunted her.
“I was cowed by the political realities of my state,” said Davis. Texas has some of the most lax gun laws in the country. Davis says she wanted the campaign conversation to be about education funding, equal pay for women and access to health care—not guns.
And she was reminded of how Democrat Ann Richards lost her 1994 gubernatorial reelection campaign after vetoing a concealed carry bill. Davis says she feels shame for compromising her “deeply held principles for the sake of political expediency.”