David Alameel (Michael Ainsworth/Staff)
WASHINGTON – Even against long odds, David Alameel hasn’t thrown in the towel in his bid to unseat Sen. John Cornyn.
“I’m in it for the long run,” the Dallas investor and dentist told The Dallas Morning News editorial board on Monday.
Cornyn leads by about 20 percentage points in most polls. Alameel says it hasn’t dampened his optimism.
“My aim is not just to win. I want to change the way people think,” he said.
He also sees this year’s effort as a way to position himself to try again in 2018, when freshman Sen. Ted Cruz’s term expires.
“The next one is in four years, and you have to build a base. I’m building a base right now,” Alameel said.
To do that, Alameel has dug deep into his own pocket.
Through the end of June, he’d poured more than $5 million in personal funds into the campaign, accounting for over 99 percent of his expenditures. He’s spent another $2 million in the last three months, he said, but isn’t “keeping up exactly on how much.”
The next batch of campaign finance reports are due Wednesday.
Alameel said he sees the spending, and his campaign, as a form of public service.
“Different people have different values. My value is about doing something that makes a difference to my country, to my community,” he said. “Life’s too short, what are you going to do with your money?”