AUSTIN — Texas hasn’t seen the last of Sen. Wendy Davis, who said Monday that she can’t imagine leaving the public arena while backtracking on the gun issue that put her at odds with many fellow Democrats.

Davis, who lost big to Republican Greg Abbott in the race for governor, said in her first sit-down interview since the election that she “probably” will be a candidate again for an unspecified office.

Undaunted by those who wrote her off politically after her 20-point loss to Abbott, Davis put a good face on assessing her ill-fated campaign and Battleground Texas, which served as her field operation.

Davis pushed back at the idea that the November election was a setback for Texas Democrats, pointing to bright spots including her hefty fundraising and volunteer force. But she added that she wants to learn from things that could’ve been done differently.

Pointing to one thing she’d change, Davis said in the exclusive interview with the Express-News that she wishes she had a do-over on her campaign decision to support open carry of handguns. Her position put her at odds with her party and alarmed a number of supporters. She said Monday that she opposes open carry.

“What I do know is that as an elected public servant, I’ve always been true to my core beliefs. Always. And I’m so proud of that,” she said. “And this was the only time I felt like I’d strayed a bit from that.”

Davis stressed that her support for open carry during the campaign was qualified, since she had said entities including municipalities should make their own decisions on carrying guns. She also pointed to her support on the Fort Worth City Council of background checks at gun shows, and her opposition as a senator to allowing guns on college campuses.

"Though I certainly support people’s right to own and to bear arms in appropriate situations, I fear with open carry, having watched that issue unfold during the campaign, that it will be used to intimidate and cause fear," she said Monday.

She said her earlier decision to support open carry had been made quickly “with a very short conversation with my team, and it wasn’t really in keeping with what I think is the correct position on that issue.”

Her fresh remarks come as the Texas Legislature is poised to consider the open-carry issue in the session that begins in January. Abbott has said he’ll sign an open-carry bill into law if one comes to his desk

Under current Texas law, people can get a license to carry a concealed handgun and they can carry rifles openly if it’s not done in a threatening way.

Davis didn’t blame anyone else for the decision, praising her team despite a staff shakeup during the campaign. “I can only regret my own actions, obviously. I admire all of the people that worked with me, even the ones that didn’t last throughout the campaign,” she said.

Davis, who catapulted into the governor’s race on the strength of her nationally noticed filibuster against tighter abortion restrictions, said she is proud of her emphasis on issues including education during the campaign.

Asked about her unrelenting negative advertising in the lead up to the general election, Davis said, “What I wish had been the case was that we had enough money to do both (positive and negative ads), and I do think it’s the case that we didn’t help people in the state who don’t know me understand really what it is that I had to offer as their future governor.

“I don’t want to live in regret, but I want to live having learned, and that’s something that I’ll certainly reflect upon if I run again, whether that approach is the right approach,” she said.

Davis, of Fort Worth, said she doesn’t know what office she might run for in the future, but that she will probably make a race.

“I love being in public service too much - not because I crave a title, not at all. It’s the work that I crave, and that I am passionate about,” she said. “I can’t imagine at least right now - ask me again a year from now, maybe I’ll give you a different answer - but I can’t imagine completely leaving the arena. It’s who I am.”

She didn’t rule out anything from another race for governor to trying to regain her state Senate seat, which was won by Republican Konni Burton after Davis ran for governor instead of aiming for re-election.

Davis said, however, that she can’t imagine running against the high-profile Democratic Castro brothers — U.S. Rep. Joaquín and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián — both of whom have long been talked up as potential statewide candidates.

“I would support them. I think they’re wonderful,” she said.

In the meantime, Davis said, she will be on the speaking circuit, with engagements including Planned Parenthood events across the country in the coming months. She’s not sure what’s next.

“I’m still working to figure out how I’ll stay in the conversation, but I’m going to," she said. "I’m going to.”

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac