Republican governor candidate Greg Abbott is accusing his Democratic rival of free-spending – not of state dollars, but from her own campaign account.
Campaign expenditure reports released this week show that Davis is paying $2,600 in monthly rent for an Austin apartment. In addition, the Davis campaign has leased an SUV for $924 a month.
“Sen. Davis’ latest fundraising report shows that she spent more than she took in, which isn’t surprising given her history of mining campaign funds to pay for a luxury lifestyle,” said Abbott spokeswoman Amelia Chasse.
As a fact, both campaigns spent more than they raised in the last election report because reserves were used to buy expensive TV advertisements.
And the Davis campaign answered that their spending is judicious.
“With the campaign based in Fort Worth and with frequent trips to Austin necessary, maintaining an apartment for the senator as well as campaign staff is much more cost effective than repeated hotel stays,” said Davis spokesman Zac Petkanas.
The apartment is in one of the most expensive areas for Austin housing, according to a recent survey of rental costs in the city. The average 2-bedroom in the close-to downtown Old West neighborhood is $1,600.
The car is a Tahoe, made in Arlington, Petkanas pointed out.
“With Sen. Davis spending 12 to 14 hours a day traveling tens of thousands of miles throughout the state to campaign, leasing a large enough vehicle to transport the candidate, staff and luggage is much more cost effective than repeated car rentals and short plane trips,” Petkanas said.
Shortly after being elected to the state Senate in 2008, Davis rented an apartment in Austin for the legislative session, spending $23,500 to outfit it, including furniture, cookware and bedding.
The campaign funds were mostly spent at Macy’s, Crate and Barrel and Overstock.com.
Using campaign funds for such purchases is legal and within state ethics rules.
But Abbott spokeswoman Chasse said Davis’ spending shows a “lavish lifestyle at her donors’ expense” that isn’t how most Texans live.
“It seems unlikely that Sen. Davis’ donors expected their contributions to pay for expensive cars and furnishings, and it’s yet more evidence of how out-of-touch Sen. Davis is with Texas,” Chasse said.