Democratic nominee Wendy Davis just premiered a brutal new ad in the Texas gubernatorial race, accusing Republican opponent Greg Abbott of having worked against the rights of plaintiffs and the disabled in the courts — despite having won a multi-million dollar settlement when an accident put him permanently in a wheelchair 30 years ago.
"A tree fell on Greg Abbott; he sued and got millions. Since then, he's spent his career working against other victims," the announcer says, before launching into examples of some less flattering rulings made in Abbott's career.
Abbott, who has been heavily favored to win the race in deeply Republican Texas, has previously run ads that invoked his disability. This included one emotional spot in which he spoke about physically training himself by climbing up through a parking garage, and another in which he pitched his transportation plan by saying, "a guy in a wheelchair can move faster than traffic on some roads in Texas."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Abbott has been a strong supporter of tort-reform efforts to limit punitive damages. He has maintained in the past that a person suffering a similar accident would still have access to the justice system — though other observers including his former lawyer, now a political critic, have disagreed. Watch the ad in full below. --Eric Kleefeld
Update: The Abbott campaign is hitting back, the Houston Chronicle reports, calling it a "historic low." Abbott spokeswoman Amelia Chasse said: "Sen. Davis' ad shows a disturbing lack of judgment from a desperate politician, and completely disqualifies her from seeking higher office in Texas."
-
A journey through Trinidad’s wild heartThe Week Recommends Experience the island’s natural wonders, from watching baby turtles hatch to visiting an ancient bat cave
-
Will latest Russian sanctions finally break Putin’s resolve?Today's Big Question New restrictions have been described as a ‘punch to the gut of Moscow’s war economy’
-
Quiz of The Week: 18 – 24 OctoberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations
-
Trump nominee in limbo after racist texts leakSpeed Read Paul Ingrassia lost Republican support following the exposure of past racist text messages
-
Trump begins East Wing demolition for ballroomspeed read The president’s new construction will cost $250 million
-
Appeals court clears Trump’s Portland troop deploymentSpeed Read A divided federal appeals court ruled that President Trump can send the National Guard to Portland
-
Millions turn out for anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ ralliesSpeed Read An estimated 7 million people participated, 2 million more than at the first ‘No Kings’ protest in June
