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Wendy Davis
Davis in 2010
Member of the Texas Senate from the 10th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2009
Preceded by	Kim Brimer
Member of the Fort Worth City Council from the 9th district
In office May 1, 1999 – January 8, 2008
Preceded by	Cathy Hirt
Succeeded by	Joel Burns
Constituency	District 9
Personal details
Born	Wendy Russell (1963-05-16) May 16, 1963 (age 61) West Warwick, Rhode Island
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Frank Underwood (1982-1984) Jeff Davis (?-2003)
Children	Amber Davis (b. 1982) Dru Davis (b. 1988)
Residence	Fort Worth
Alma mater	Texas Christian University (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.)
Occupation	Attorney
Committees	Education, Transportation and Homeland Security, Veterans' Affairs and Military Installations, International Relations and Trade, Open Government (Vice-Chair)
Signature
Website	Official website

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

On June 25, 2013, Davis held a ten hour long filibuster to block Senate Bill 5, legislation that would create new abortion regulations in 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.

Early life and education

Wendy Russell was born in West Warwick, Rhode Island, and moved to Fort Worth with her family at age 11. Her father, Jerry Russell, was a local actor and director who founded the Stage West Theatre in Fort Worth in 1979. Her parents divorced at that time, leaving her to be raised by a single mother, Virginia, with a sixth-grade education who had to raise four children without any child support. Russell's mother worked at a Braum's ice cream shop to support her family.

Russell began working at age 14, first by selling newspaper subscriptions to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, then working at an Orange Julius in a shopping-mall food court and later by waitressing at a restaurant. She graduated from Richland High School in 1981, marrying shortly thereafter at age 18 and having a daughter named Amber. A year later, Russell was divorced, becoming a single mother living in a trailer park.

After learning about a two-year paralegal program from a co-worker, Russell enrolled at Tarrant County College and later transferred to Texas Christian University on a full scholarship, where she graduated first in her class with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Before and during college, Russell worked as a waitress at the Stage West Theatre café four nights a week while working as a receptionist in a pediatrician's office in the morning.

After becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college, Davis went on to earn her law degree with honors from Harvard Law School in May 1993. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 1993.

Law career

Early in her law career Davis served in a federal clerkship under U.S. District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer. In 1994, she joined the Fort Worth office of Haynes & Boone and began practicing specialized litigation. She later became part owner of Safeco Title Co. and is a former executive of Republic Title, of Fort Worth, Texas. Davis joined Cantey Hanger in an Of Counsel role and partnered with Brian Newby to open Newby Davis, PLLC in 2010. Her current practice includes federal and local governmental affairs, litigation, economic development, contract compliance and real estate matters.

Political career

City Council

Davis was first elected to the Fort Worth city council in 1999. She was re-elected in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007. During her nine-year tenure as a councilmember, Davis focused on transportation, economic development and neighborhood issues. She also spearheaded economic development projects, such as the Montgomery Plaza renovation, the Tower, Pier One and Radio Shack campuses.

State Senate

Davis represents Texas Senate, District 10, which includes portions of Tarrant County, Texas. In 2008, she defeated Republican Kim Brimer for the seat. She was re-elected in 2012, defeating a challenge from Mark Shelton, a Fort Worth pediatrician and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives.

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.

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.

Davis has been honored with many 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". She was also chosen by the readers of Fort Worth Weekly as the "Best Servant of the People". In January 2012, Davis was listed among "12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012" by Governing Magazine and is mentioned as a possible candidate for statewide races.

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. In March 2013, she announced her intention to run for re-election to the Senate.

2013 filibuster

On June 25, 2013, Senator 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." 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. Following a 10-hour filibuster, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst ruled that Davis had gone off topic, forcing a vote on whether the filibuster could continue. 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. 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. Dewhurst later conceded that the bill was dead. On the 26th, Governor Rick Perry added the bill as part of three bills in a second special session to be debated again.

Election history

Davis ran unopposed for city council in 2001 and 2005 and for state senator in the 2008 and 2012 Democratic primaries.

City council elections

1999

2003

2007

State senate elections

2008 election

2012 election

References

1. "Wendy Russell Davis's Salary".
2. Walker, T. (June 28, 2013). "Wendy Davis: Single mother from trailer park who has become heroine of pro-choice movement". Retrieved June 29, 2013.
3. ^ McGraw, D. (August 31, 2011). "Wendy Davis stuck her neck out for schoolkids". Fort Worth Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
4. 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.
5. ^ Ramshaw, E. (June 4, 2011). "A Filibuster Creates an Overnight Celebrity". New York Times. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
6. ^ "Docket No. CA 11-1303" (PDF). United States District Court for the District of Columbia. January 20, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
7. "Wendy Davis LinkedIn". LinkedIn. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
8. ^ "Senator Wendy Davis: District 10". Texas State Senate. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
9. Record, State Bar of Texas, Wendy Davis, at .
10. ^ "Partners - Newby Davis, PLLC".
11. "Wendy Davis Defeats Sen. Kim Brimer". Quorum Report.
12. Ramshaw, E. (November 6, 2012). "Wendy Davis Clinches Re-election in SD-10". Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
13. "Texas Tribune - State Sen. Wendy Davis". Texas Tribune.
14. Ramshaw, E. (June 4, 2011). "A Filibuster Creates an Overnight Celebrity". New York Times. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
15. 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)
16. Jacobson, L. (January 2012). "12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012". Governing Magazine. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
17. Montgomery, D. (January 19, 2013). "Is Sen. Wendy Davis poised for statewide race?". Star-Telegraph. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
18. Parker, K. (January 23, 2013). "Political futures at risk as Senators draw terms". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
19. Montgomery, D. (March 31, 2013). "Davis re-states intention to run for Senate". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
20. Fernandez, M. (June 25, 2013). "Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill". New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
21. 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)
22. 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)
23. ^ King, Michael (June 26, 2013). "Yea or Nay?". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
24. "Liveblog: Senators Trying to Determine if Abortion Bill Passed". The Texas Tribune. June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
25. 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.
26. "Texas Gov. Rick Perry calls 2nd special session to pass abortion bill". CBS News. June 26, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
27. Associated Press (June 26, 2013). "Texas Gov. Perry calls second special session on abortion". Fox News. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
28. "1999 Cumulative Election Report". City of Fort Worth. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
29. "2003 Cumulative Election Report". City of Fort Worth. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
30. "2007 Cumulative Election Report" (PDF). City of Fort Worth. p. 3. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
31. "Election Results". Secretary of State of Texas. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
32. "Election Results". Secretary of State of Texas. Retrieved 2012-11-19.

External links

• Senator Wendy Davis: District 10
• Official website
• Profile at Vote Smart

v t e Members of the Texas Senate
88th Texas Legislature (2023) President of the Senate Dan Patrick (R) President pro tempore Charles Schwertner (R)
▌Bryan Hughes (R) ▌Bob Hall (R) ▌Robert Nichols (R) ▌Brandon Creighton (R) ▌Charles Schwertner (R) ▌Carol Alvarado (D) ▌Paul Bettencourt (R) ▌Angela Paxton (R) ▌Kelly Hancock (R) ▌Phil King (R) ▌Mayes Middleton (R) ▌Tan Parker (R) ▌Borris Miles (D) ▌Sarah Eckhardt (D) ▌Molly Cook (D) ▌Nathan Johnson (D) ▌Joan Huffman (R) ▌Lois Kolkhorst (R) ▌Roland Gutierrez (D) ▌Juan Hinojosa (D) ▌Judith Zaffirini (D) ▌Brian Birdwell (R) ▌Royce West (D) ▌Pete Flores (R) ▌Donna Campbell (R) ▌Jose Menendez (D) ▌Morgan LaMantia (D) ▌Charles Perry (R) ▌Cesar Blanco (D) ▌Drew Springer (R) ▌Kevin Sparks (R)
▌Republican (19) ▌Democratic (12) Texas Legislature House Senate List of past legislatures

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• 1963 births
• American female lawyers
• Harvard Law School alumni
• Living people
• People from West Warwick, Rhode Island
• People from Fort Worth, Texas
• Restaurant staff
• Texas Christian University alumni
• Texas city council members
• Texas Democrats
• Texas lawyers
• Texas State Senators
• Women state legislators in Texas