Sheldon Adelson (center left) and wife Miriam Adelson pose for photographs as they leave a news conference during the opening of the Sands Cotai Central resort in Macau
As Nevada Republicans gather for their caucuses night, the most important votes may come from one couple: Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, who donated more than USD100 million to GOP candidates and committees in the 2012 presidential contest, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Four years ago, the Adelsons dropped $15 million into the super PAC backing Newt Gingrich, a personal friend, creating a financial lifeline that kept the former House speaker in the race until he conceded to eventual GOP nominee Mitt Romney.
This time, the billionaire casino owner and his wife are keeping their cards closer to their chests. Mr. Adelson, preoccupied with business matters, hasn’t been meeting with the candidates fanning out across the Silver State to drive turnout for the caucuses, a person familiar with his plans said.
He and his wife are still hoping to attend a caucus, where they could publicly declare their support. It is a blessing most candidates have angled for, but one that may carry risks, as GOP front-runner Donald Trump is decrying the influence of big donors and special interests.
According to the WSJ, the Adelsons so far have made small donations to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who dropped out of the race in December. The newspaper they recently bought, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, endorsed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio early this month, which many have interpreted as an Adelson endorsement. MDT/WSJ
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