I'm a little disillusioned by this.
This is all -- and only -- about the money. Because Alameel can self-fund his bid for the Senate (and give unlimited amounts of money to Davis, since state election law does not cap political contributions), it's my feeling that Sen. Davis has made a fairly craven and unnecessary public choice to play in a Democratic primary. That is somewhat unprecedented for Texas gubernatorial candidates, and especially so in the second week in January.
If that's the kind of person Sen. Davis believes would make the best Texas Democrat for US Senate... well, maybe you can understand why I identify less and less with Democrats. I just lost a little respect for Davis here.
Bad move, Senator. I'm still of the opinion that Maxey Scherr and Michael Fjetland are better choices personally, and that has nothing to do with money. Which is how I prefer my politicians of late.
Update: Charles is similarly surprised but more reserved, while Socratic Gadfly has checked out. I am in-between those two, and don't want Davis to keep pushing me toward the door.
State Sen. Wendy Davis announced today that she’s backing David Alameel in his bid for the U.S. Senate nomination.
The wealthy Dallas dentist and investor is one of five Democrats vying in the March primary. The winner will face two-term Sen. John Cornyn, if he survives his own primary fight with Rep. Steve Stockman and a handful of others.
“Dr. Alameel is an astute and successful business leader who shares my commitment to creating good paying jobs, improving education for all our children and protecting the retirement our seniors have worked hard for and earned,” said Davis, D-Fort Worth. “I am pleased to endorse him for U.S. Senate.”
This is all -- and only -- about the money. Because Alameel can self-fund his bid for the Senate (and give unlimited amounts of money to Davis, since state election law does not cap political contributions), it's my feeling that Sen. Davis has made a fairly craven and unnecessary public choice to play in a Democratic primary. That is somewhat unprecedented for Texas gubernatorial candidates, and especially so in the second week in January.
Alameel brings deep pockets to the race, with an estimated fortune of about $50 million. He flexed his financial muscle in a 2012 campaign for what is now Rep. Marc Veasey’s Fort Worth congressional district. He spend more than $4.5 million in the Democratic primary, ending up in fourth place with 10 percent of the vote.
He’s used his wealth to support both parties. He’s given more than $1 million to Texas campaigns in the past decade and a half, much of it to Republican candidates, including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Gov. Rick Perry.
In 2004 and 2005, he gave more than $15,000 to Cornyn’s campaign and political action committee.
If that's the kind of person Sen. Davis believes would make the best Texas Democrat for US Senate... well, maybe you can understand why I identify less and less with Democrats. I just lost a little respect for Davis here.
Bad move, Senator. I'm still of the opinion that Maxey Scherr and Michael Fjetland are better choices personally, and that has nothing to do with money. Which is how I prefer my politicians of late.
Update: Charles is similarly surprised but more reserved, while Socratic Gadfly has checked out. I am in-between those two, and don't want Davis to keep pushing me toward the door.
4 comments:
Two good candidates this year who definitely do not have millions are David E. Cozad who is running for U.S. Congress TX-6 (currently occupied by Smokey Joe Barton) and Gregory R. Perry, who is running for Texas Senate District 9. Both Cozad and Perry have deep respect for Texas water and comprehend that long-term solutions cannot be deferred. They also agree on the importance of Education and the importance of investing in technology and innovation for Texas and the USA to be energy self-sufficient and to retain (regain) its place in the world economy. Both run out of anger which comes from recognition that the trajectory of public policy in this state and nation places their children and grandchildren and their generations at an economic disadvantage.
Hey, Perry, after I did my blog post, riffing off yours, I got to wondering ...
What's Alameel's stance on abortion & choice issues?
Davis catapulted to fame after her pro-choice filibuster on the Senate floor.
I can't even figure out what Alameel's position on abortion IS! He refused to answer campaign questions from Project Vote Smart, per its page on him. His Congressional campaign website from two years ago is dead, and he doesn't have a Senate campaign website that I can tell. Google just pulled up his old congressional site.
(And, yeah, I added all of this to my blog post.)
If you know of anything more definite on his stance on this issue, please let me know.
I got nothing... yet. I certainly hope Davis thought to clarify his position before she cashed his che-- err, made her endorsement.
Well, per an update on my piece, I can still find nada about him on either pro-choice or pro-life angles. FEC campaign contribution record shows no donations to either side by him.
Teh Google has shown no official comments by him.
Besides money, could this be a "triangulation" effort by her?
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