“The Adelson Primary” returns as Republicans gather in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – Republican politicians filed in and out of Las Vegas this week to deliver public speeches at the annual event organized by the influential Republican Jewish Coalition.

But something else was going on behind the scenes: Adelson’s primary.

For years, an informal process called the “Adelson Primary” took place, bringing politicians to meet with billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, founder of the Las Vegas Sands casino and one of the party’s biggest donors. In 2012, the winner was Newt Gingrich, who received more than $5 million from the family before losing his bid for the presidency; In 2016, the award went to Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who ultimately lost the Republican presidential nomination to Trump that year.

The process quieted down in 2021 after Sheldon Adelson’s death, but his wife Miriam looks set to take the title of GOP kingmaker. He’s no stranger to politics, but when the RJC met this week at the Venetian in Las Vegas, his presence in the 2024 election cycle became even more apparent.

“The importance of the Adelsons never diminished. [Miriam] Adelson has had a slightly different approach since then [Sheldon] Adelson is gone, but the mission remains the same,” said a longtime Republican official familiar with the family’s thinking. “He always intends to uphold her legacy and do his best to protect the United States and our greatest ally, Israel.”

During the three-day annual RJC Summit, Miriam Adelson met with prominent Republican politicians, including Senator Steve Daines of Montana, who this term chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee; Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who is running for Senate Republican leader; and Florida Reps. Byron Donalds and Mick Waltz, both of whom are considering runs for Florida governor in 2026.

“Any decision-maker who wants to rise in the Republican Party knows that the relationship with the Adelsons is key,” the Republican representative said. “Twenty years ago, no one knew what the RJC was, and today members of the State House are tripping to get to the Vegas event.”

“It’s a direct result of the Adelsons,” the person added.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump was not at the event in person, but he gave a video speech at the conference and Adelson introduced him as a “friend” on Thursday afternoon.

“He’s our best friend,” Adelson said of Trump’s relationship with the Jewish community. “I look forward to him entering the White House.”

In 2020, Adelson’s super PAC spent $100 million to help Trump’s failed bid against President Joe Biden; this year it plans to spend even more. So far, Adelson has personally given $5 million to the pro-Trump super PAC Preserve America through June, the most recent numbers available.

RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said he believes the Adelson family’s role in national Republican politics will continue under Miriam Adelson.

“Both Sheldon and Miriam were and are passionate about these issues, they stand up for America and stand up for freedom and democracy around the world,” he said. “This is very important to him and obviously he spoke from his heart today.”

Brooks said his organization is spending a record $15 million in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, all of which have large Jewish communities and are considered winnable for either Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris.

Brooks said record spending in one election cycle has helped them improve their data capacity and ability to build the nation’s only “voter file of Jewish voters” to whom it can specifically message.

“Our message is very simple: for the first time in my life, the Jewish community feels safe and not unsafe,” Brooks said. “It’s a scary, scary time.”

Much of the convention’s focus was on the safety of the Jewish population after an October 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages, according to Israeli officials. More than 40,000 people have died in the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its military offensive after the attack, according to local health officials.

“Donald Trump is making it so that Jews can freely walk the streets of America in kippahs without feeling attacked,” Brooks said. “Jewish college students can walk across their campuses without fear of being attacked. These are the central issues at stake in this election.”

RJC and Adelson’s main short-term goals are the group’s goal of returning to the White House and ensuring Republican control of the House and Senate, but the broader process of developing his relationships with ambitious Republican politicians is also back in motion. .

“He lay down at first [after Sheldon’s death],” said a longtime Republican consultant who knows the family. “But in recent months and years, he’s taken on a bigger role.”

Although they were still considered an important feather in the cap of any major Republican politician, a few previous so-called Adelson’s primary winners couldn’t even use that momentum for the Republican presidential nomination.

“I don’t think it matters,” said a former Rubio adviser. “In 2016, it didn’t matter to us at all, and the big donors don’t really dictate much in the party anymore. Donors are always important in funding campaign activities and staying competitive, especially in presidential campaigns, but good candidates with a strong connection to the core of the party can win big donor money.”

However, there is no shortage of ambitious Republicans, including those who one day want to run for president, to make sure they are on Adelson’s radar.

“There are a few more important things in Republican politics, and I don’t think that’s changed,” a longtime Adelson ally told NBC News. “This weekend was a testament to that.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com