Lizard Politics: Davis Camp Weighs In

The threatened dunes sagebrush lizard made a cameo in the race for Texas governor Friday. 

After Texas Weekly Politics blogged about Attorney General Greg Abbott's penchant for vague answers to hot-button issues — including the state protection plan for the little reptile that's kept the Permian Basin on edge — the question naturally arose: where does Democrat Wendy Davis come down on the issue? 

Suffice it to say that there's not a lot of hand-wringing about the little critter up in Fort Worth.

"That lizard has been around a long time, I think it's going to be just fine," Davis said in an emailed statement. "What matters is creating good jobs right here in Texas and leading the country in oil and gas exploration."

Davis aides also pointed out that the senator voted in favor of HB 3509 by Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, and Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, a bill that would have streamlined the preservation of endangered species in Texas with an oversight board composed of representatives from state agencies, including the comptroller’s office.

Seliger said his bill would have established transparency that the current system lacks. In a move that caught him and many in the industry off guard, Gov. Rick Perry vetoed the legislation this summer.

Davis spokeswoman Rebecca Acuña said Davis "opposes federal intervention and believes the state program should be administered in a transparent and accountable manner."

The Abbott campaign did not immediately respond to a question about whether Abbott would have signed or vetoed HB 3509 had he been governor.