Perry and Cruz head to Vegas to beg for money

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White House hopefuls Ted Cruz and Rick Perry are making a pilgrimage to Las Vegas as the invisible primary for Republican super-donor Sheldon Adelson's millions heats up, and the two Texans are hoping to stand out for their unwavering support of Israel and deep skepticism of President Obama's nuclear deal with Iran.

Cruz and Perry are set to speak back to back Saturday morning at the annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition, an opportunity for them to redouble their long-running appeals to some of the most prominent Jewish donors in the country. Adelson, a billionaire casino magnate who sits on the RJC board, is expected to have a front-row seat for most of the confab at his Venetian resort hotel and casino.

Along with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, Cruz and Perry will address a crowd of nearly 800 people, many of whom have given well above the $1,000 minimum to attend the conference. The four speeches make up the only part of the RJC's three-day confab open to reporters, with other big-name Republicans and their aides making more private overtures to the RJC throughout the weekend.

Adelson, who with his wife gave more than $92 million to presidential candidates in 2012, is being closely watched as 2016 hopefuls scramble to firm up financial commitments for what will probably be the priciest-ever race for the White House. Adelson's hawkish defense views, especially on the Middle East, mesh with a GOP field prepared for foreign policy to factor prominently into the 2016 race.
http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/24/cruz-perry-to-make-2016-pitch-to-jewish-donors/#at_pco=smlwn-1.0&at_si=55816879cac95128&at_ab=per-2&at_pos=0&at_tot=1