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| Ted Cruz woos pro-Israel coalition as backers seek to build on momentum | Ted Cruz woos pro-Israel coalition as backers seek to build on momentum |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Right after Ted Cruz gave a major address on Saturday to hundreds of pro-Israel Republican Jewish Coalition members at the Las Vegas resort and casino owned by the billionaire Sheldon Adelson, roughly a dozen wealthy board members of the RJC – which is mainly underwritten by Adelson – hosted a roundtable discussion with the Texan, giving him a chance to woo donors in a more intimate setting. | Right after Ted Cruz gave a major address on Saturday to hundreds of pro-Israel Republican Jewish Coalition members at the Las Vegas resort and casino owned by the billionaire Sheldon Adelson, roughly a dozen wealthy board members of the RJC – which is mainly underwritten by Adelson – hosted a roundtable discussion with the Texan, giving him a chance to woo donors in a more intimate setting. |
| The pro-Cruz Trusted Leadership Super Pac had in recent weeks also arranged to hold a three-day retreat at the Venetian resort and casino, where the annual three-day RJC event was being held. On Friday night, the Trusted Leadership Pac threw a bash that drew several rich RJC donors who had recently become Cruz supporters after their first choices had dropped out. | The pro-Cruz Trusted Leadership Super Pac had in recent weeks also arranged to hold a three-day retreat at the Venetian resort and casino, where the annual three-day RJC event was being held. On Friday night, the Trusted Leadership Pac threw a bash that drew several rich RJC donors who had recently become Cruz supporters after their first choices had dropped out. |
| The overlapping Las Vegas events underscore how a pro-Cruz Super Pac, and a number of RJC allies who are raising money for the Cruz campaign, are moving fast to capitalize on the candidate’s big win in Wisconsin for fundraising and political gains, as the senator tries to sustain his momentum and overtake Donald Trump in the Republican race. | |
| Related: Cruz to Vegas high-rollers: bet on me to back Israel and stop Iran deal | Related: Cruz to Vegas high-rollers: bet on me to back Israel and stop Iran deal |
| To be sure, Cruz has long been popular with a number of RJC donors and Adelson primarily because of his staunch backing for Israel, the No 1 issue for the 40,000-member conservative RJC. A key example: last September, Cruz spearheaded a rally of conservative groups at the Capitol – which also featured Donald Trump as his special guest – to oppose the Iran nuclear deal, a top priority for the RJC and other pro-Israel groups. | |
| “The Cruz train is looking appealing,” said Michael Epstein, an RJC board member and commercial estate developer from Maryland who only recently joined the campaign’s finance team, after initially backing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, and then Florida senator Marco Rubio. | “The Cruz train is looking appealing,” said Michael Epstein, an RJC board member and commercial estate developer from Maryland who only recently joined the campaign’s finance team, after initially backing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, and then Florida senator Marco Rubio. |
| Epstein told the Guardian he and a dozen other board members – including California venture capitalist Elliott Broidy, New York real estate investor Ben Heller and Houston businessman Fred Zeidman – organized the roundtable, which drew about 75 people, giving Cruz a chance to “welcome everybody” to become supporters. “Obviously money is important, and we’re talking to everybody else” about the campaign’s needs, he said. | |
| Epstein also attended the Super Pac event Friday evening. “I’m sure the Pac people will be happy to take our checks,” he quipped. | Epstein also attended the Super Pac event Friday evening. “I’m sure the Pac people will be happy to take our checks,” he quipped. |
| But while Cruz’s hawkish positions on Israel’s security needs have endeared him to many RJC donors and fundraisers, ambivalence and concerns are palpable too: the Texan’s hard right views on immigration and some other social issues coupled with his slash and burn political style, have caused heartburn for several of its big fundraisers and donors who tend to be more moderate on domestic issues. | But while Cruz’s hawkish positions on Israel’s security needs have endeared him to many RJC donors and fundraisers, ambivalence and concerns are palpable too: the Texan’s hard right views on immigration and some other social issues coupled with his slash and burn political style, have caused heartburn for several of its big fundraisers and donors who tend to be more moderate on domestic issues. |
| “I’m supporting Cruz solely on the basis of Israel,” said Jay Zeidman, another Houston businessman and the son of Fred Zeidman. “There’s no better ally of the Jewish state and its security needs,” he added, but stressed that “I don’t agree with him on immigration and other social issues”. | |
| Both Zeidmans, who were early backers of Jeb Bush and are known for their fundraising prowess, only opted in late March to support Cruz. | |
| A number of prominent RJC board members, including Florida shopping mall magnate Mel Sembler, who was a major fundraiser for a pro-Bush Super Pac, have shied away from picking other candidates. Several RJC board members are dissatisfied with the current choices and the acrimonious nature of the campaigns. | |
| Still, a growing number of the 50-plus wealthy RJC board members – whose ranks include two former ambassadors under former George W Bush, former senator Norm Coleman and former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman – now see Cruz as their best option to regain the White House, despite what they consider his flaws. | |
| Epstein, who introduced Cruz before his big Saturday speech to 500 RJC members attending the annual spring meeting, noted in an interview that Trump and John Kasich were also invited to speak to the RJC, but only Cruz accepted. | Epstein, who introduced Cruz before his big Saturday speech to 500 RJC members attending the annual spring meeting, noted in an interview that Trump and John Kasich were also invited to speak to the RJC, but only Cruz accepted. |
| “I think we’re a little surprised,” he added, with a touch of understatement, when asked why Trump and Kasich didn’t come. | “I think we’re a little surprised,” he added, with a touch of understatement, when asked why Trump and Kasich didn’t come. |
| Along with other candidates, all three addressed an RJC gathering in Washington in December, at which Trump drew harsh reviews for commenting that he would be a neutral player in negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, an idea that many RJC members scorn. | Along with other candidates, all three addressed an RJC gathering in Washington in December, at which Trump drew harsh reviews for commenting that he would be a neutral player in negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians, an idea that many RJC members scorn. |
| Trump reportedly declined an invitation to a private dinner that Adelson had for the RJC board on Thursday at his Las Vegas mansion, leaving some board members puzzled. | Trump reportedly declined an invitation to a private dinner that Adelson had for the RJC board on Thursday at his Las Vegas mansion, leaving some board members puzzled. |
| Cruz and other candidates have aggressively courted Adelson’s big checkbook and political support for months, and the Texan (along with Rubio, before he dropped out) has been near of the top of the billionaire’s list, say Adelson allies. The frenzied chase to woo Adelson – whose net worth is close to $28bn – is hardly surprising: in 2012, the casino owner and his wife, Miriam, poured almost $150m into a mix of Super Pacs, which must disclose their donors, and not-for-profit organizations, which don’t have to, making them the GOP’s leading contributors. | Cruz and other candidates have aggressively courted Adelson’s big checkbook and political support for months, and the Texan (along with Rubio, before he dropped out) has been near of the top of the billionaire’s list, say Adelson allies. The frenzied chase to woo Adelson – whose net worth is close to $28bn – is hardly surprising: in 2012, the casino owner and his wife, Miriam, poured almost $150m into a mix of Super Pacs, which must disclose their donors, and not-for-profit organizations, which don’t have to, making them the GOP’s leading contributors. |
| But unlike in 2012, when Adelson and his wife gave $15m early on to a Super Pac backing their longtime close ally Newt Gingrich – the former House speaker who dropped out of the primaries after launching some damaging attacks against Mitt Romney – the couple have been much more cautious this year. They want to back a candidate who can win in November, and they may not make any big funding commitments before a nominee is picked, say RJC sources. | |
| Adelson, whom many GOP operatives deem mercurial, and his wife each gave $2,700 to the Cruz campaign last November. But in February, in a recording of comments Adelson made at a gala honoring former New York City mayor and current Trump supporter Rudy Giuliani, Adelson suggested he’d back Trump if he wins the nomination by saying: “Why not?” | |
| This weekend, the Adelsons even left the RJC meeting early to attend a wedding in Baltimore. | This weekend, the Adelsons even left the RJC meeting early to attend a wedding in Baltimore. |
| Despite Adelson’s departure, both the Cruz Super Pac, which takes unlimited checks, and the campaign, which can only accept donations of $2,700 per person, were poised to do well in Las Vegas. | Despite Adelson’s departure, both the Cruz Super Pac, which takes unlimited checks, and the campaign, which can only accept donations of $2,700 per person, were poised to do well in Las Vegas. |
| Among the Super Pac leaders in Las Vegas was Alice Hanley, the treasurer of the Trusted Leadership Pac, which was launched in March to bring in new big donors. Hanley did not respond to requests for comment. | Among the Super Pac leaders in Las Vegas was Alice Hanley, the treasurer of the Trusted Leadership Pac, which was launched in March to bring in new big donors. Hanley did not respond to requests for comment. |
| Trusted Leadership has become the political vehicle for raking in new unlimited donations following on the heels of few other Super Pacs – under the moniker Keep the Promise – that were formed in 2015. Three of these Super Pacs were largely bankrolled by a few individuals giving at least $10m each. | Trusted Leadership has become the political vehicle for raking in new unlimited donations following on the heels of few other Super Pacs – under the moniker Keep the Promise – that were formed in 2015. Three of these Super Pacs were largely bankrolled by a few individuals giving at least $10m each. |
| A 1 April email to potential donors from Kate Doner, a top fundraiser for the new Pac, indicated that all the other Super Pacs had been “rolled into Trusted Leadership to optimize resources and talent”. | A 1 April email to potential donors from Kate Doner, a top fundraiser for the new Pac, indicated that all the other Super Pacs had been “rolled into Trusted Leadership to optimize resources and talent”. |