#WendyDavis vs national Democrats: liability or jealousy the issue?

Texas Democrats, usually because, in statewide races, they're trying to be even more Republican-lite than national Democrats, tend not to cozy up to national Democrats coming to the state.

Bill White, in his 2010 gubernatorial bid, avoided Obama like the plague. Yes, Obama handled the post-passage politics of Obamacare horribly. But, given the bumbling, inept, sizzle-free campaign White was running, he had nothing to lose.

More puzzling yet is this year's gubernatorial Galahad, Wendy Davis, uninviting national Democrats from speaking at the state convention.

As noted by the Texas Observer, Hillary Clinton, Kristen Gillibrand and Joe Biden all carry sizzle in numbers. And with Davis launched to fame on an issue close to many liberal women, reproductive choice, why, why, why wouldn't she have wanted either of the first two, especially.

Here, I partially disagree with the Observer.

With Davis, I'm thinking jealousy and/or control issues were part of the decision, too. Neither would surprise me, which is probably part of why I'm thinking they were part of the issue.

And, here's the problem with that: it affected Leticia Van de Putte and other downballot candidates in general and women in particular, in all likelihood.

And, it's selfish.

Here's the deal.

The Texas Democratic Party is not exactly the same as the Democratic National Committee.

It's the Democratic party for the whole state, not just the gubernatorial candidate. The guv is relatively weaker, compared to the constellation of other elected officials, than the president is at the federal level. Plus there's no state-level equivalent of the DCCC or the DSCC. The TDP is the primary support arm for lower-level statewide races, and state house and senate races, too.

Perry's got a lot more take on this issue, which arguably is kind of backfiring, because now, one of the biggest items of news out of the Dems' convention, at least among inside baseball types, is the uninvites.

As for Davis' fear of tackling the abortion issue, with "Abortion Barbie" out there? The Trib says that she probably has a majority of voters who agree with her overall stance.

Ted at Jobsanger also weighs in. He doesn't think it's jealously, but doesn't agree with Camp Davis that national Dems are a liability. Rather, he says the problem remains potential Texas Dems who won't vote, and that dissing the nationals won't change that one bit.

In Ted's favor (although his POV and mine aren't mutually exclusive) is this piece, showing just how much "political bystanders" are concentrated among young Hispanics.