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Five Reasons Why We Love Wendy Davis

By filibustering for 13 hours, Wendy Davis is the Texas state senator who singlehandedly stopped the state legislature from passing a bill that would have effectively put 37 of the state’s 42 abortion clinics out of business. That move made her a national hero to many Democrats and liberals, and a national villain to Republicans used to getting their own way.

Queerty joins in the lovefest for Wendy Davis too. Here are five reasons why we think she’s terrific:

She’s a long-time supporter of LGBT rights. Texas isn’t the easiest place to be a supporter of LGBT rights, but Davis has consistently been at the forefront of pushing our issues in the legislature. Her version of an antibullying bill would have included protections for LGBT students, which were (of course) stripped out. Before being elected to the state senate, she was a member of the Fort Worth city council, where she was responsible for adding sexual orientation to the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance.

She showed Democrats can have a spine. As a party, the Democrats default position is duck-and-cover. Republicans threaten, and Democrats immediately fold. Davis proved what can happen if you stand up for a principle instead of just giving it lip service.

She stopped the GOP steamroller in its tracks. How many times have liberals fantasized about stopping a conservative juggernaut? This time, it came true. The irony is that Davis relied upon the same tactic that Republicans in the U.S. Senate use as a threat at the drop of a hat.

She could be the next governor. Her performance has sparked talk of a Davis-for-governor campaign. Polls show that she has an uphill battle against incumbent Rick Perry. But remember how Gov. Goodhair was the shoo-in for the GOP presidential nomination? Then he opened his mouth.

She represents the demographic future of the state. Hard as it is to imagine, Texas may not always be the rock-ribbed conservative stronghold it is today. Demographics are pushing the state more toward the middle. The GOP has done its best to insult Hispanic voters, who make up an increasingly large number of the electorate. Of course, the Democratic party needs to be able to capitalize on this opportunity, but the fact remains that Texas may be a lot less red than it used to be.

Photo credit: Davis’ Facebook Page

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