Wendy Davis is, as I’ve mentioned, a terrible candidate. But that should not obscure the fact that her opponent, Texas attorney general Greg Abbott, is a remarkably good one.

According to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll, not only does Abbott have a commanding lead over Davis (16 points). He is also leading by two points among women (48 to 46 percent) and trailing by only two points among Hispanics (48 to 46 percent).


The poll also notes changes in favorability between the two candidates. Looking at Davis’s numbers, Sean Davis of the Federalist comments:

https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/525295822049923073

Abbott’s numbers, by contrast:

Like every state, Texas has a unique political culture, and success there cannot simply be extrapolated to the national stage. But in a race that was poised to be Ground Zero in Democrats’ concocted “war on women,” Abbott has managed to wage a positive campaign, engage voters on substantial issues, and earn support even in the state’s Democratic strongholds. That cannot be chalked up simply to a lousy opponent.