Wendy Davis seeks campaign boost from actress Kathleen Turner

Wendy Davis and Kathleen Turner

Wendy Davis' campaign for Texas governor is struggling, trailing her Republican opponent Greg Abbott by as much as 18 points, according to one poll. That might explain why the Davis campaign has made the move of bringing in a Hollywood celebrity to boost her bid.

Actress Kathleen Turner rose to fame in the 1980s with films like Romancing the Stone and as the voice of Jessica Rabbit, and in recent years, has been a vocal supporter of abortion rights. In an email sent out to supporters Sunday night, Turner made her case for supporting Davis, while asking her supporters to donate to the Davis campaign war chest. The text of her email follows:

Most people know me as an actress, but I’ve worked with Planned Parenthood since I was 19 to make sure all American women have access to the contraceptive care they need. And when Wendy Davis launched her filibuster in support of women’s health, I knew she was the woman needed as the next governor of Texas. 

When she took the floor for her filibuster, Wendy knew what was at stake. She knew the old boys network in Austin was trying to restrict women’s access to the health care they need, and she wasn’t going to let it happen without a fight. 

Wendy’s a fighter, but with only a few weeks until the election, she needs our help to stay strong. Can you contribute $5 to her campaign? 

Texas has come to a fork in the road. One path will lead to more of the same -- more insider politics, more cronyism in the state capital, more of the policies that have left too many Texas families working harder than ever just to tread water. 

The other path -- Wendy’s path -- leads to a Texas in which everyone can succeed. 

Wendy knows firsthand how difficult it can be to pull yourself up, and she’s committed to making sure every hardworking Texan has the same opportunities she’s had. 

But she can’t do it alone. Wendy’s opponent has all the special interests in his corner -- she needs us in hers. Give $5, $10, or more if you can, and help make Wendy Davis the next governor of Texas.

The move to bring in Turner might help spur donations, but it likely will not help her gain more votes. Abortion has been a losing issue for Davis, to the point that campaign mentions of her filibuster last year never say the word "abortion," but rather refer to "women's health care," a tactic even Turner resorts to in her statement. Texas voters usually balk at celebrities, especially those based out of Hollywood, injecting themselves into state races. Regardless, Davis still has an uphill battle. According to the latest poll by The New York Times/CBS News, Abbott leads Davis by 18 points, 56% to 38%. The Real Clear Politics average of polls gives Abbott a lead of 12.6%.