Miriam Adelson
Israel-first GOP mega-donor (her own self-description: she has said she would happily 'give up' US democracy to ensure Israel's security).
Who they are.
Israeli-American physician and widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson (d. 2021). She inherited control of the Las Vegas Sands gaming empire and the Adelson family's political-giving operation, which has been the single largest source of pro-Israel mega-donor money in US elections for over a decade. In 2023 she sold a $2 billion stake in Sands explicitly to free up capital for political spending, and in 2024 became the largest individual donor in the cycle.
The chain.
- Republican Jewish CoalitionTop donor / board
- Preserve America PACPrimary funder (Trump-aligned super PAC)
- AIPAC PACAligned donor network
- Donald Trump (R, President)$100M+ across 2024 cycle (Preserve America PAC + direct)2024 · Won 2024 presidential election
- Ed Gallrein (R, KY-04 challenger)~$2M+ via RJC IE network2026 · Defeated incumbent Thomas Massie in 2026 primary
- Newt Gingrich (R, 2012 presidential)~$20M to Winning Our Future super PAC2012 · Kept Gingrich's primary campaign alive against Romney
The targets.
On the record.
“I would like to encourage you to be a one-issue voter, and that issue should be Israel.”
“Miriam Adelson… is an Israeli citizen who has said Israel is her 'first love.'”
Sources.
Questions about Miriam Adelson.
How much did Miriam Adelson give in the 2024 cycle?
Press reporting (NYTimes, OpenSecrets, FEC filings) placed Miriam Adelson's 2024-cycle giving at roughly $100 million, primarily routed through the pro-Trump Preserve America PAC. She sold $2B in Las Vegas Sands stock in November 2023, with reporting attributing the sale to freeing capital for the 2024 election cycle.
Is Miriam Adelson an Israeli citizen?
Yes. Miriam Adelson holds dual US-Israeli citizenship, was born in Tel Aviv, and has publicly described Israel as her 'first love.' This dual citizenship is documented in coverage by The New York Times, Haaretz, and her Wikipedia entry, and is relevant context for her self-described single-issue focus on Israeli security in US politics.
What is the Adelson connection to Thomas Massie's removal?
The Adelson family's political network — including the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) — bankrolled an independent expenditure campaign against Rep. Thomas Massie (R, KY-04) in his 2026 primary. The IE supported challenger Ed Gallrein and helped defeat Massie, who had repeatedly broken from the pro-Israel-policy bloc by voting against Israel-aid packages. The chain — Adelson → RJC → Gallrein — is one of the most explicit donor-driven primary removals of the cycle.