Casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson has given $10 million to Restore Our Future, a pro-Mitt Romney super PAC, according to the Wall Street Journal. The contribution makes Adelson the single biggest donor to the super PAC, which is allowed to raise unlimited sums from individuals, corporations and unions.
Adelson and his family had previously pumped more than $20 million into a super PAC supporting one of Romney's rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, Newt Gingrich. After the former House speaker dropped out of the race, Adelson met with Romney in Nevada in late May.
Restore Our Future has been a critical tool for Romney during his march to the Republican nomination. The group has raised more than $50 million, mostly in chunks of $500,000 or more from some of the wealthiest Americans, and spent more than $40 million during the Republican primary, almost entirely on negative ads attacking Gingrich and former Sen. Rick Santorum.
Adelson's infusion marks the next stage for the super PAC as it pivots to target President Barack Obama. The billionaire's massive contribution signals that traditional GOP mega-donors will come out to fund the general election efforts of independent groups, from Restore Our Future to the Karl Rove-linked Crossroads groups, the American Action Network, the American Future Fund and others.
The contribution also solidifies Adelson's position at the top of the list of super PAC donors. Through April, he and his family combined to give $26.5 million to super PACs. Most of that went to the pro-Gingrich Winning Our Future, but in April Adelson and his wife combined to give $5 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC with close ties to the House Republican leadership.
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