Israeli-American Miriam Adelson has emerged as the top donor for GOP super PACs as the 2026 midterm elections approach.
| PULSE POINTS |
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reveal that Miriam Adelson, the Tel Aviv-born widow of Israeli-American billionaire Sheldon Adelson, is the largest donor to Republican Party super PACs in the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections, donating $30 million to the Senate Leadership Fund and $10 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund. Meanwhile, Budapest-born billionaire George Soros is the largest donor to Democrat super PACs. 📰 DETAIL: Adelson is a strong supporter of Israel and its military actions in the Middle East. The Senate Leadership Fund bankrolls Republican Senate candidates, while the Congressional Leadership Fund backs Republican House candidates. All told, the two super PACs raised over $110 million. On the other side of the aisle, Soros poured $50 million into his Democracy PAC, which later allocated $9 million to the Senate Majority PAC, which backs Democrat Senate candidates. 🎯 IMPACT: Adelson’s substantial donations may influence the stance of Republican lawmakers and candidates on the Iran war, at a time when the conflict and the U.S.-Israeli alliance more generally are dividing the party’s base. Polling by the Democracy Institute shows 52 percent of GOP voters oppose the war, and 51 percent of GOP voters believe Israel has too much influence over U.S. foreign policy. These sentiments are even stronger among voters generally, suggesting a strong pro-war, pro-Israel stance during the midterms could harm the party’s electoral prospects. |
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