By Bud Kennedy
bud@star-telegram.com
Nothing is going state Sen. Jane Nelson's way.
Texas' new election map might pencil her out of becoming lieutenant governor.
Her crosstown nemesis, Fort Worth Democrat Wendy Davis, won her redistricting argument and is now a stronger incumbent.
Women nationwide are pushing back against new rules for contraception or abortion, including Texas' new law forcing some transvaginal wanding.
Then last week, word came that the feds will cut $40 million in healthcare for poor women in Texas, just because a state law written by Nelson denies money to Planned Parenthood.
Not only that, but it's nearly March and Republicans don't have maps, a primary date or a presidential nominee.
In her 20th year as a Republican senator from Flower Mound, representing north Tarrant and Denton counties, Nelson is not happy.
"I am livid!" she said Friday, moments after a slam-bang speech to a Republican women's club.
She called "Obamacare" a "big, growing monster ... that will consume everything" and also said defeating Davis is the "most critical race in the whole state."
In particular, Nelson fumed that Texas is likely to lose federal money for 130,000 poor women to see a doctor because it won't include Planned Parenthood clinics.
"For the federal government to tie women's healthcare to the abortion debate is just criminal," she said, defending Senate Bill 7 and Plainview Republican Jim Landtroop's amendment disqualifying Planned Parenthood.
Lawmakers wanted to favor competing clinics also hurt by $70 million in budget cuts.
"We will find another way to treat those women," Nelson said.
She called the feds' decision to yank the money a "political smoke screen."
What's interesting is that abortion and Planned Parenthood are suddenly effective political issues.
"The liberals are using this to distract us," she said, saying Republicans are "still very passionate" against abortion.
She reserved particular scorn for Davis, whose 79-minute filibuster ended a session and stalled cuts in school funding.
Davis "obstructed our entire session's work," Nelson said without mentioning Davis' name.
Nelson said that letters Davis read defending education funding "did not voice the majority opinion of her district" and that District 10 voters should elect "someone who shares our values and priorities."
"Tarrant County is conservative," Nelson said."What I saw did not reflect Tarrant County."
Nelson didn't mention that she or another conservative Republican will need the vote of the District 10 senator to become lieutenant governor if David Dewhurst goes to Washington and the Senate gets to choose a replacement.
The November election is about more than the county map.
Bud Kennedy's column appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 817-390-7538Twitter: @budkennedy
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