Alexander Hale can\u2019t help but have questions about the political positions of his fellow Republican challenger, Alexander Kalai, as they face off to represent Texas\u2019 7th Congressional District.<\/p>\n
Kalai\u2019s background first caught Hale\u2019s attention in December.<\/p>\n
“I was simply looking up my opponent\u2019s information. And I saw on Transparency USA that his father had given<\/a> [thousands] to Beto” and other top Democrats, Hale said, referring to a former Democratic representative of Texas, Beto O\u2019Rourke, the failed Senate and gubernatorial candidate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alexander Hale in an interview with Fox News Digital in Feb. 2026. (Fox News Digital)<\/p>\n “And I thought, \u2018well, that is super strange.\u2019”<\/p>\n Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show that his family has a track record <\/a>of donating to Democrats, leading Hale to believe that the open primary system in Texas may invite Republican-looking candidates to detract attention from candidates with platforms that align more closely with the GOP base. Hale believes that\u2019s a weakness shared by many states that use open primaries.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t think it\u2019s too much of a stretch to say, well, \u2018shouldn\u2019t we only have Republicans electing Republicans and Democrats only electing Democrats?\u2019” Hale said of the primary elections.<\/p>\n Texas is one of 14 states that use an open primary system, allowing unregistered candidates to announce their consideration for a party\u2019s primary race.<\/p>\n In Kalai\u2019s case, his website states that he supports traditional Republican positions like school choice, protecting women\u2019s sports and an emphasis on deregulation to promote economic activity.<\/p>\n Kalai did not respond to a request for comment on his positions.<\/p>\n TEXAS EARLY VOTING BEGINS AHEAD OF CONTENTIOUS MARCH 3 PRIMARY ELECTIONS<\/a><\/p>\n Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke speaks to attendees during a “Our Fight, Our Future” rally at The Millennium bowling alley on October 2, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Brandon Bell\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Kalai\u2019s campaign has received $182,000. Of those, $134,000 has come from his own pocket. Kalai lists his source for those donations as “self-employed.”<\/p>\n His campaign has also received two donations from his parents, Bashar and Grigitte Kalai, both for $3,500 \u2014 the most one donor can give a candidate for the primary, according to federal law.<\/p>\n Bashar Kalai\u2019s donation to his son, a Republican, goes against the grain of his past political contributions.<\/p>\n As the president and CEO of Amerapex, a technology, engineering and industrial services company based in Houston, Bashar has a long track record of political donations \u2014 to Democrats.<\/p>\n In addition to his contributions to Beto O\u2019Rourke, he has donated to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton,<\/a> Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., the House Majority PAC, which is controlled by Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives and other Democratic candidates.<\/p>\n Hale believes his proximity to his son should raise questions about Alexander Kalai\u2019s affiliations.<\/p>\n “I\u2019d love to hear an explanation as to why someone comes out of the blue with all this blue money and says, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m a Republican. You\u2019ve never heard of me. I\u2019ve never voted in a primary, but I\u2019m the Republican you need.\u2019”<\/p>\n “It doesn\u2019t make sense,” Hale said.<\/p>\n DAVID MARCUS: IN DALLAS, VOTERS WEIGH TWO SENATE PRIMARIES AND NOW, A WAR<\/a><\/p>\n Hillary Clinton, former U.S. secretary of state, speaks to members of the media outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center in Chappaqua, New York, U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Adam Gray\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Hale said he fears that candidates with sufficient financial backing, like Kalai, could present a convincing picture to voters in a primary process where fundraising is often used to establish legitimacy.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n “Money buys attention. In open primaries, we end up in a situation where whoever has the most money \u2014\u00a0it feels like whoever has the most money wins,” Hale said.<\/p>\n Hale and Kalai will face off at the ballot box on Tuesday evening alongside three other Republican candidates.<\/a> Whoever wins that primary will face off against incumbent Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Texas, in November.<\/p>\n![\"Alexander](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/alexander-hale.jpg\")
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