Greg Abbott (again) doubts Wendy Davis on gun rights

Greg Abbott, running for governor, told CNN this week that campaigning with provocative rocker Ted Nugent “was a way to expose Wendy Davis for her flip-flopping on gun-related issues,” saying Nugent has “exposed the fraud” Davis’ campaign has “displayed on Second Amendment-based issues.”

Davis announced her support Feb. 6, 2014, for allowing licensed Texans to carry unconcealed pistols on their hips. A Feb. 18 KERA-TV news story said Abbott called that a flip-flop because Davis “said she’d allow individual businesses and property owners to opt out.” The Associated Press said in a Feb. 6 news story, “Davis said such a law should allow private property owners to determine whether weapons could be openly carried on their property.”

In November, Abbott compared her to New York’s gun-control advocate mayor Michael Bloomberg, saying that Davis is “fighting to bring California values to Texas” including “Bloomberg-style gun control.”

At the time, we took an in-depth look at Davis’ positions and votes on gun issues, going back to her days on the Fort Worth City Council.

Like Bloomberg, Davis supports background checks for all buyers at gun shows. She has opposed campus-carry measures, but voted to allow concealed weapons locked in vehicles while warning the author of that legislation not to take it any farther. She has opposed letting the state tell cities or colleges they can’t regulate guns on their property, but voted to let the state pursue injunctions against cities that overstep limitations currently in state law. She joined most of the Senate in voting for three laws simplifying concealed-handgun permit applications.

In our full story and the source list posted alongside it, you’ll find emails about Davis’ track record from the Abbott and Davis campaigns, links to Texas Legislature records on Davis’ votes and links to original news stories from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram during a 2000 city government debate over gun control in which council member Davis played a prominent role.

At right are links to some of our other fact-checks on gun issues.