Mitt Romney passed Newt Gingrich in the polls a few days ago and appeared headed toward a victory tomorrow in the Florida Republican presidential primary. As this was written, though, Gingrich – or to be technically correct, the unregulated super PAC that favors him – was just cranking up another blitz of advertising, a variation on the sort that he rode to victory in South Carolina. So the outcome tomorrow remains in question.
The more interesting question is how, precisely, “the super PAC that favors Gingrich” got the money to keep up the chase in the Florida race? If you have been keeping track of political earthquakes, surely you know.
The super PAC that favors Gingrich, Winning Our Future, received a $5 million check last week from Dr. Miriam Adelson, the wife of Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino czar ranked as the eighth-wealthiest American, and an old friend, supporter and patron of Gingrich.
His wife’s gift was the second $5 million check from the Adelsons to the super PAC that favors Gingrich: The first $5 million was given by Adelson himself just two weeks earlier. His was the check that underwrote the negative blitz of advertising that propelled Gingrich to victory in the South Carolina primary, reviving his campaign after dismal finishes in the first two primaries.
The Adelsons’ quick $10 million checks to a sagging candidate are not the only ones from super-rich patrons ready and willing to use their wealth to promote the candidate into office. Romney benefits from two well-endowed super PACS that favor him. They carried him in Iowa and kept his campaign competitive in South Carolina. These totally unregulated and unaccountable “pro-Romney forces” have bought nearly $14 million in advertising Florida.