MSNBC's Hayes: Wendy Davis for Gov is 'Matter of Life and Death for Many Texans'

October 7th, 2013 11:51 PM

On Friday's All In show, as Chris Hayes celebrated Texas Democratic State Senator Wendy Davis's announcement that she will run for governor, the MSNBC host characterized her run as "literally a matter of life or death for many Texans," as he lambasted Texas Republicans for opposing Medicaid expansion.

Hayes took a shot at Republican Senator Ted Cruz as he rejoiced in Davis's infamous filibuster to support abortion:

You remember Wendy Davis, the woman who waged an epic 11-hour filibuster to temporarily block a Republican proposal restricting abortion in the state, sporting a pair of neon pink sneakers throughout. And  the Davis filibuster wasn't some Ted Cruz-style spectacle. This was a real-deal filibuster, an attempt to block a Republican bill restricting women's access to medical care.

After recounting that she became an "overnight rock star in the Democratic party," he continued: "But a Wendy Davis candidacy is more than just good politics for Democrats. It's literally a matter of life or death for many Texans."

After citing statistics on the number of uninsured in Texas, Hayes indicted Republican Governor Rick Perry: "And the trend is getting worse. Piling on, the state's current governor, Republican Rick Perry, rejected the  very thing that would help those people most to receive coverage under ObamaCare.".

Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Friday, October 4, All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC:

CHRIS HAYES: Yesterday was the day for Wendy Davis. The Texas state senator throwing her hat in the ring to become the first Democratic governor of the Lone Star State since Ann Richards. You remember Wendy Davis, the woman who waged an epic 11-hour filibuster to  temporarily block a Republican proposal restricting abortion in the state, sporting a pair of neon pink sneakers throughout. And  the Davis filibuster wasn't some Ted Cruz-style spectacle. This was a real-deal filibuster, an attempt to block a Republican bill restricting women's access to medical care.

Davis's actions galvanized folks across the country. A flood of supporters gathering inside the state capitol to cheer her on. And when the bill was ultimately blocked at the midnight deadline, Davis became an overnight rock star in the Democratic party. Inspiring means, nail art, a hash tag, even Taiwanese animation. But a Wendy Davis candidacy is more than just good politics for  Democrats. It's literally a matter of life or death for many Texans.

According to Gallup for the fifth straight year, Texas leads the country in its percentage of people without health insurance.  A whopping 29 percent of Texans don't have coverage. That's over six million people, roughly the population of the entire state  of Massachusetts. And the trend is getting worse. Piling on, the state's current governor, Republican Rick Perry, rejected the very thing that would help those people most to receive coverage under ObamaCare.

GOVERNOR RICK PERRY (R-TX): Medicaid expansion is simply put a misguided and ultimately doomed attempt to mask the shortcomings of ObamaCare. Texas will not be participating in Medicaid expansion.

HAYES: Rejection of the Medicaid expansion around the country leaves eight million people without health insurance, many of them poor single mothers. Wendy Davis, a single mom at age 19, supports the expansion. As a governor, she would help the uninsured in Texas on a road to recovery.