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As Democrat Wendy Davis attempts to boost her bid in Texass gubernatorial race, her campaign is launching a new radio ad this week featuring first lady Michelle Obama.

For Wendy, education is a top priority because she wants to give all our kids a chance to build a better life for themselves and for their families, Mrs. Obama says in the ad, launched Wednesday. Thats what the American dream is all about. And Wendy knows something about the American Dream.

Mrs. Obama goes on to discuss Ms. Daviss upbringing, praising the state senator for working hard to graduate college and Harvard Law School after becoming a mother at age 19. Ms. Daviss history, which has often played a prominent role on the campaign trail, came under fire earlier this year amid accusations that she had exaggerated details of her story.The Davis campaign has since released a detailed chronology of her story.

Mrs. Obama also touts the candidates work to expand Medicaid, raise the minimum wage and create jobs.

Ms. Davis has raised millions of dollars for her campaign after drawing the spotlight last year for her marathon filibuster of an abortion bill, but she continues to struggle to make her campaign against Republican Greg Abbott competitive. A recent poll showed Mr. Abbott, the state attorney general, leading by 11 points.

In past elections, Democratic candidates turned to President Barack Obama to help give their campaigns a jolt. But amid the presidents widespread unpopularity, many candidates this cycle are instead turning to Mrs. Obama, who offers both higher approval ratings and a less-partisan image. The first lady has already campaigned on behalf of Democrat Michelle Nunn in Georgia and has plans to visit Iowa, where Democrat Bruce Braley is facing off against Republican Joni Ernst.

In a CNN interview last month, Ms. Davis demurred on the question of whether she would like Mr. Obamas support on the campaign trail. I am running as Wendy Davis on my platform and my plans for what Ill do for the state, and I will be my own spokesperson for what I will do on that role, she said.

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Michelle Obama Backs Wendy Davis in Radio Ad

Republican Governor Chris Christie, whos opposed raising New Jerseys gasoline tax even as the roadwork fund runs dry, put a Democrat in charge of state transportation spending and says hes open to all options for replenishing the pool.

Thats emboldening proponents of raising the tax, the second-lowest in the U.S., as fuel prices sink to a 21-month low. Christie pledged in 2011 to use more cash and less debt for highway and bridge repairs. Instead, as state revenue came up short of forecasts, he put no money into the transportation fund for three years and borrowed $1 billion more than promised to keep it alive.

New Jersey would gain $50 million from each cent of a tax increase, according to Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto. The Secaucus Democrat, with Assemblyman John Wisniewski, chairman of the transportation committee, began hearings last month on possible solutions. The next meeting is scheduled for Oct. 14.

There is a high degree of urgency attached to resolving this in the next few months, said Martin Robins, a professor emeritus at the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. Good policy would have been to recognize there was a revenue deficiency in the Transportation Trust Fund and it needed to be addressed in 2010.

The main roadwork fund for the traffic-vexed state will be unable to borrow further by June 30, a year earlier than projected in 2011. All the money it gets from taxes and tolls goes to pay off bonds, leaving nothing to repair frayed infrastructure. The revenue shortfalls have also led Christie to cut pension payments, delay property tax rebates and pledge national tobacco-settlement proceeds to investors in exchange for almost $92 million.

An increase in the 10.5-cent-per-gallon gas tax could sting Wisniewski and Sweeney if they seek to run for governor in 2016, as well as Christie, should he try for the presidency. Christie said Oct. 1 in a CNN interview that hes still considering whether to run for the White House and will make his announcement after the first of the year.

The easy answer is you call it anything other than a tax, toll -- whatever other word you can find, said Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University history and public affairs professor.

Christie on Sept. 18 appointed Democrat Jamie Fox as transportation commissioner, a job he held in Governor Jim McGreeveys administration.

Asked whether options could include raising the gas tax, the governor refused to elaborate.

Is there something about Everythings on the table thats confusing to you? the governor said. Everything is on the table.

Excerpt from:
Christie Faces Need for Tax With N.J. Roads Fund Empty

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