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Adelson Drops ‘Tens of Millions’ More for GOP

October 11, 2018 at 1:58 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is pumping tens of millions of dollars more into Republican Party coffers in an 11th-hour push to save their congressional majorities, according to two senior Republicans familiar with the donation,” Politico reports.

“The move comes as Democrats dominate the TV airwaves. The party has been buoyed by a turbocharged small-donor base that’s flooded House candidates with millions of dollars in contributions. On top of that, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pledged to spend $80 million in the final weeks leading up to the midterm election, the vast majority of it to help Democrats seize control of the House.”

Filed Under: 2018 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Sheldon Adelson’s Influence Grows

October 10, 2018 at 8:07 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

ProPublica: “After decades as a major Republican donor, Adelson is known as an ideological figure, motivated by his desire to influence U.S. policy to help Israel. ‘I’m a one-issue person. That issue is Israel,’ he said last year. On that issue — Israel — Trump has delivered. The administration has slashed funding for aid to Palestinian refugees and scrapped the Iran nuclear deal. Attending the recent opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, Adelson seemed to almost weep with joy, according to an attendee.”

“But his reputation as an Israel advocate has obscured a through-line in his career: He has used his political access to push his financial self-interest. Not only has Trump touted Sands’ interests in Japan, but his administration also installed an executive from the casino industry in a top position in the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. Adelson’s influence reverberates through this administration. Cabinet-level officials jump when he calls. One who displeased him was replaced. He has helped a friend’s company get a research deal with the Environmental Protection Agency. And Adelson has already received a windfall from Trump’s new tax law, which particularly favored companies like Las Vegas Sands. The company estimated the benefit of the law at $1.2 billion.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Comes Out In Support of McMaster

August 14, 2017 at 5:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson has come out in support of National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, disavowing a campaign against McMaster by a group Adelson funds, the Zionist Organization of America,” according to Jonathan Swan.

“Adelson is one of the biggest financial donors in Republican politics, and his influence over national security and Israel-related matters is substantial. His is a voice listened to by President Trump and other senior White House officials like Jared Kushner.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: H.R. McMaster, Sheldon Adelson

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Sheldon Adelson Not Happy with Trump

April 24, 2017 at 12:10 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

GOP mega-donor Sheldon Adelson “hasn’t contributed to pro-Trump outside groups since the inauguration, a move that’s drawn notice within the party… Adelson has privately complained about Trump’s failure to fulfill his campaign promise to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem… Adelson is also rankled that some people he recommended for administration posts haven’t yet been tapped,” Politico reports.

“More fundamentally, Adelson is dismayed by what he sees as a state of chaos in the new administration.”

Filed Under: White House Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Gave $5 Million for Trump Inauguration

April 19, 2017 at 10:07 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Sheldon Adelson, “the casino magnate and stalwart Republican donor, gave $5 million to support the festivities surrounding President Trump’s inauguration,” the New York Times reports.

“The gift was the largest single contribution ever given to an inauguration, but far from the only seven-figure check deposited by the committee responsible for carrying out much of the pomp leading up to Mr. Trump’s swearing in.”

Associated Press: “Powered by billionaires and corporations, President Donald Trump raised $107 million for his inaugural festivities, documents filed with the Federal Election Commission show, and nearly doubled the record set by President Barack Obama eight years ago.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Will Spend $45 Million on 2016 Races

September 19, 2016 at 9:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Conservative megadonor Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, have committed roughly $45 million so far to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and downballot Republicans’ attempt to control Congress, CNN reports.

“The spending amounts to a historic investment in the Republican Party ticket’s hopes for November, putting millions of dollars behind Trump’s bid in a groundbreaking donation that could redefine the final two months of the 2016 campaign.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Will Give Big to Trump

May 14, 2016 at 8:15 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 34 Comments

“The casino magnate Sheldon Adelson told Donald Trump in a private meeting last week that he was willing to contribute more to help elect him than he has to any previous campaign, a sum that could exceed $100 million,” the New York Times reports.

“As significant, Mr. Adelson, a billionaire based in Las Vegas, has decided that he will significantly scale back his giving to congressional Republicans and direct most of his contributions to groups dedicated to Mr. Trump’s campaign. The two Republicans familiar with Mr. Adelson’s plans spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Sheldon Adelson Won’t Say Who He Voted For

February 24, 2016 at 9:32 am EST By Taegan Goddard 14 Comments

Wall Street Journal: “Spooked that a small handful of reporters were standing around watching him vote, Mr. Adelson covered the top half of his ballot with his left hand as he checked a box on the lower third of his ballot – where the names Rubio, Santorum and Trump appear – with his right.”

Said Adelson: “I’m not telling you anything.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Intends to Caucus Today

February 23, 2016 at 8:00 am EST By Taegan Goddard 8 Comments

Even though he hasn’t spent much on the 2016 GOP primary, mega donor Sheldon Adelson “and his wife are still hoping to attend a Nevada caucus, where they could publicly declare their support,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Adelson-Owned Newspaper Picks Rubio

February 5, 2016 at 4:48 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 10 Comments

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has endorsed Marco Rubio in the Nevada Republican caucus.

Politico: “The endorsement comes just weeks after the paper was bought, initially in secret, by GOP megadonor and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. But the editorial board made sure to note that its meeting with Rubio came months before the sale, and that ‘the Adelsons have detached themselves from our endorsement process, and our endorsement of Sen. Rubio does not represent the support of the family.'”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Marco Rubio, Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Secretly Buys Nevada Newspaper

December 16, 2015 at 5:49 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 21 Comments

Citing “multiple sources familiar with the situation,” Fortune reports that billionaire GOP donor Sheldon Adelson is the unnamed investor who acquired Nevada’s largest newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week.

Filed Under: Media Buzz Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Cruz Battles Rubio In Adelson Primary

December 2, 2015 at 11:14 am EST By Taegan Goddard 35 Comments

Michael Isikoff notes “the bidding to become the winner of what is informally called the ‘Adelson primary’ has gotten complicated. After being wooed by virtually all the major GOP contenders, the 82-year-old Adelson was believed to be close to announcing his backing of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio shortly after the Dec. 15 Republican debate — an event that conveniently enough is being held at the Venetian Las Vegas, a hotel Adelson owns.”

“That scenario, however, has run into resistance from a surprising source: Miriam Adelson, the megadonor’s strong-willed and equally hawkish wife. An Israeli-born physician, Miriam Adelson has become enamored of late with Ted Cruz, according to four Republican sources close to the couple.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Marco Rubio, Sheldon Adelson, Ted Cruz

Trump Reached Out to Adelson

November 4, 2015 at 9:52 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

Donald Trump “has mockingly accused Sheldon Adelson, a casino developer and one of the biggest Republican megadonors, of wanting a ‘puppet’ to back when it was reported that Mr. Adelson was considering throwing his support to Senator Marco Rubio,” the New York Times reports.

“But Mr. Trump, many weeks ago, called Mr. Adelson to talk about the state of the race, according to a person told of the discussion, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to characterize the conversation publicly.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Donald Trump, Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Leaning Towards Endorsing Rubio

October 13, 2015 at 8:00 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 19 Comments

Sheldon Adelson “is leaning increasingly toward supporting Marco Rubio — and the Florida senator is racing to win the backing of other uncommitted megadonors who have the potential to direct tens of millions of dollars his way and alter the contours of the Republican primary fight,” Politico reports.

“Last week, during a campaign swing through Las Vegas, Rubio held a meeting in Adelson’s offices… A formal endorsement, they said, could come as soon as the end of the month — and with it, the potential for a multimillion dollar contribution. With a net worth of $25.7 billion, according to Forbes, Adelson can afford to spend freely.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Marco Rubio, Sheldon Adelson

Who’s Winning the Sheldon Adelson Primary?

September 9, 2015 at 11:38 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 20 Comments

Jason Zengerle: “Adelson is also said to be conflicted about the various potential Trump-slayers. Scott Walker, despite intensive lobbying efforts, is viewed by many close to Adelson as insufficiently serious about Israel and foreign policy… Rubio is a personal favorite but might lack the necessary ruthlessness to take out The Donald. Ted Cruz, meanwhile, is well positioned to appeal to the same GOP primary voters Trump’s currently energizing, but he is probably too conservative to beat Hillary. Which brings Adelson to Jeb Bush, the candidate who seemingly has the best chance of slaying both Trump and Clinton but whose relationship with the mogul is as vexed as any of the Republican contenders.”

“If Adelson really feels that backing Gingrich over Romney was a mistake in 2012, backing Jeb this time around would be a kind of atonement. But, frustratingly for Adelson, the heir apparent to the Bush dynasty has not always been so eager to play along.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Sheldon Adelson

Romney Working to Avoid Another Circus Primary

June 13, 2015 at 9:08 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 36 Comments

“Mitt Romney is working with an unlikely collaborator — Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul who bankrolled Newt Gingrich’s 2012 campaign — in the hopes of ensuring that the GOP primary produces a mainstream conservative without any of the mayhem that marked his own race,” Politico reports.

“The two, who speak monthly, aim to convince the wealthy contributors bankrolling various candidates to work together to avoid the kind of primary election chaos that Romney believes laid the seeds for his defeat in 2012. The former Massachusetts governor is also considering endorsing a candidate to achieve his goal.”

“They’re unmistakable signs of Romney’s newly assertive role in the Republican Party but also of his determination to guarantee the GOP an unbloodied nominee with broad-based appeal.”

Filed Under: 2012 Campaign, 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Mitt Romney, Sheldon Adelson

Rubio Winning Over Sheldon Adelson

April 23, 2015 at 7:37 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 26 Comments

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the Sheldon Adelson primary, Politico reports.

“In recent weeks, Adelson, who spent $100 million on the 2012 campaign and could easily match that figure in 2016, has told friends that he views Rubio, whose hawkish pro-defense views and unwavering support for Israel align with his own, as a fresh face who is ‘the future of the Republican Party.’ He has also said that Rubio’s Cuban heritage and youth would give the party a strong opportunity to expand its brand and win the White House.”

Huffington Post: Wealthy donors are throwing more money at the GOP this year

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign Tagged With: Marco Rubio, Sheldon Adelson

Adelson Upset With Bush Over Baker Comments

March 28, 2015 at 12:40 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 26 Comments

Sheldon Adelson “is said to be incensed” over former Secretary of State James Baker’s comments about Israel “and the lack of pressure put on him by the Jeb Bush team before his address — a significant concern, given that Mr. Adelson has the resources to pour tens of millions of dollars into the Republican presidential primary,” the New York Times reports.

“But the flare-up could thrust Mr. Bush into conflict with some of the most hawkish voices in his party, including some leading Republican donors, and a constituency determined to demonstrate its strength in the primary.”

Filed Under: 2016 Campaign, Foreign Affairs Tagged With: Jeb Bush, Sheldon Adelson

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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