US GOP Jewish donors & 2024 candidates gather under shadow of war

28 Oct 2023

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U.S. Republican presidential candidates including frontrunner Donald Trump will address major Republican Jewish donors in Las Vegas on Saturday at a gathering that will seek their unequivocal commitment to wiping out Palestinian Hamas militants.

Quick Read

Major Republican Jewish donors will meet in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Republican presidential candidates, including frontrunner Donald Trump, will address the gathering.
The donors will seek a firm commitment from candidates to eliminate Palestinian Hamas militants.
The gathering gains significance as Israel is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza after Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7.
Over 1,400 Israelis and more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed due to the conflict.
The donors, numbering around 1,500, will look for strong expressions of support for Israel.
Matt Brooks, CEO of the RJC, said they want candidates to support Israel in its effort to rid Gaza of Hamas.
The event is crucial for Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, who are competing for donor funds against Trump.
A pro-DeSantis super PAC has claimed Haley supports resettling Gaza refugees in the U.S., which Haley denies.
Despite many establishment Republicans opposing Trump, DeSantis and Haley may find it challenging to secure funds.
Trump had faced criticism for his remarks about Hezbollah and Netanyahu but later reiterated his support for Israel.
The RJC does not endorse in the primary but will spend on the general election.
In 2020, the RJC spent over $10 million to support Trump, and Brooks said they plan to spend similarly in the future.
Israel might not be a significant election issue, and some Republicans are cautious about foreign conflicts.
Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy stated he does not support financial aid to Israel in its conflict with Hamas.
RJC board member Eric Levine criticized Ramaswamy’s stance, emphasizing the importance of a tough stand against Iran and supporting a military build-up.

The Associated Press has the story:

US GOP Jewish donors & 2024 candidates gather under shadow of war

Newslooks- LAS VEGAS, (AP)

FILE – President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership meeting, Saturday April 6, 2019, in Las Vegas. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

The Republican Jewish Coalition’s (RJC) weekend donor gathering has taken on heightened importance as Israel prepares a ground invasion of Gaza following a surprise attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 that killed more than 1,400 Israelis. Gaza’s health authorities say more than 7,000 Palestinians have been killed in retaliatory Israeli air strikes.

While support for Israel is a hallmark of American Republican politics, the around 1,500 donors gathered in Las Vegas will be looking for more firm expressions of commitment as Israel faces growing criticism from rights groups for its air strikes in Gaza, a densely populated area.

FILE – Executive Director, Matt Brooks, speaks ahead of Mehmet Oz, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, during a Republican Jewish Coalition event in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File

“We’re looking for their public commitment in support of Israel doing whatever it takes to rid the Gaza Strip of Hamas once and for all,” the Washington-based RJC’s chief executive officer, Matt Brooks said.

FILE – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition on Nov. 19, 2022, in Las Vegas. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

The weekend will be especially important for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who are competing for donor money to bankroll their longshot campaigns against Trump.

A pro-DeSantis super PAC has attacked Haley on the Israel front, claiming she supports resettling refugees from Gaza in the United States. Haley has said the claim is false.

Trump speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition 2019 Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas

While many establishment Republican donors are opposed to Trump and are seeking an alternative, DeSantis and Haley may struggle to get them to open their wallets given Trump, who is fueled by small-dollar donors, is the runaway favorite to win the Republican nomination process that kicks off in Iowa on Jan. 15.

Trump has also professed support for Israel, but was rebuked by Israel and the White House earlier this month after calling the Lebanese Hezbollah, a sworn enemy of Israel, “very smart” and accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being “not prepared” for the Hamas attack.

Trump has since said there had been “no better friend or ally of Israel” than when he was U.S. president. The RJC’s Brooks said he was sure Trump would show “further commitment” to Israel on Saturday.

FILE – Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Las Vegas. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

The group itself does not endorse in the Republican primary, but it does spend on the general election, when the Republican nominee will likely face off against Democratic President Joe Biden.

“In 2020, we raised and spent in excess of $10 million to help Trump get the largest share of the Jewish vote in history,” Brooks said. “And we plan to do the same, if not more, with our nominee going forward.”

Brooks said RJC donors separately spent between $50 million and $60 million on the 2020 election cycle.

FILE – Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks at an annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Las Vegas. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/John Locher)

To be sure, Israel is unlikely to be an election-defining issue and Republican voters are warier of foreign conflicts. Underdog Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur, has tapped into some of that sentiment, telling Axios in an interview this week that he does not support sending financial help to Israel in its war with Hamas.

FILE – Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the annual leadership meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, in Las Vegas. The Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual gathering of donors in Las Vegas that is being held this weekend has for years been a key stop for GOP candidates as they seek not only to court Jewish voters but also to present themselves as stalwart allies of Israel, a key priority for many in the party’s base, particularly evangelicals. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

RJC board member Eric Levine, a New York-based litigator, condemned Ramaswamy’s position and said he hoped to hear candidates support a tough stance on Hamas backer Iran and push for a military build-up.