The Latest: Trump urges Jewish donors to elect Republicans
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s appearance before the Republican Jewish Coalition (all times local):
12:05 p.m.
President Donald Trump is thanking members of the Republican Jewish Coalition for backing him in 2016 and he says they have an important role to play in his re-election campaign in 2020.
Trump says in a speech at the group’s annual meeting in Las Vegas that he’s grateful to members for “your incredible support and your outstanding commitment to our country to our safety and to electing more Republicans.”
The president says “we need more Republicans. Let’s go, so we can win everything.”
Trump says that as 2020 election nears, “I know that the Republican Jewish Coalition will help lead our party to another historic victory.”
___
12 p.m.
President Donald Trump has met privately with a major GOP donor, casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, before speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas.
Adelson is chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp. He and his wife, Miriam, received a standing ovation when they entered the ballroom where Trump was set to speak. Trump praised Adelson from the stage.
Adelson’s company revealed earlier this year that Adelson is receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The Adelsons gave President Donald Trump’s campaign $30 million in 2016. They followed that by contributing $100 million to the Republican Party for the 2018 midterm elections.
In November, Trump recognized Miriam Adelson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the nation reserves for a civilian. She’s a doctor and philanthropist.
___
8:55 a.m.
President Donald Trump is trying to make the case for Jewish voters to back his re-election as he takes a victory lap with Republican donors in Las Vegas.
Trump is appearing at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which supported his 2016 campaign and is preparing to spend millions on his 2020 effort.
Jewish voters in the U.S. have traditionally sided heavily with Democrats, but Republicans are hoping to narrow the gap next year, in part as Trump cites actions that he says show he’s more pro-Israel.
Trump’s speech comes weeks after he suggested Democrats “hate” Jews. His remark came as Democrats engaged in an internal fight over how to respond to comments by Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman, that were criticized by some as anti-Semitic.
