Democrat candidate for Governor of Texas, Wendy Davis, Rakes in Campaign Cash

The Democrat candidate for Governor of Texas, Wendy Davis - the woman who rose to national fame for her filibuster against a Texas bill to bring standard medical safety and sanitation practices to abortion clinics in her state - announced via Twitter on Tuesday that her campaign raised a staggering $12.2 million dollars in the second half of 2013.

In a statement from her campaign, Davis reported donations from 71,843 individuals "from all 254 counties in the Lone Star State."

Her opponent, Greg Abbott, came up short with a still-impressive $11.5 Million in a race where each candidate is expected to spend $40 Million.

Democrats have made converting Texas into a blue state a prime goal - an event that would all but ensure their party wins the White House indefinitely. The Wendy Davis candidacy is widely seen as a major part of that strategy.