State Sen. Wendy Davis has gained a national profile since her filibuster of Texas’s anti-abortion law, but she still faces a tough battle if she decides to challenge Gov. Rick Perry in 2014.
According to a new poll from the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling, Davis currently trails Perry in a hypothetical match-up by a margin of 53-39 percent.
From PPP:
39% have a favorable opinion of Davis and only 29% an unfavorable one. That is better than Perry’s 45-50 approval-disapproval margin or the 32-26 favorability of the other possible GOP gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Greg Abbott. Voters narrowly approve of her use of the filibuster, with 45% supporting and 40% opposing it. They also dislike SB5, with 20% supporting and 28% opposing it.
But Perry’s standing with the plurality Republican voters has improved a net 23 points since the last poll, bringing his overall approvals up a net eight points from 41-54. Because of this, Davis actually fared better pre-filibuster at a 47-41 deficit.
But it’s not all bad news for Davis: Since her filibuster, Davis’s name recognition has doubled, from 34 to 68 percent.
