LAS VEGAS (AP) — Republican presidential candidates voiced their unwavering support for Israel during a campaign event in front of an influential Republican Jewish group, coinciding with Israel’s intensified offensive against Hamas in the ongoing war. The event also saw the withdrawal of a prominent contender from the 2024 race.
Former Vice President Mike Pence used his final speech as a candidate to emphasize his traditional Republican views on strong U.S. foreign policy, which differ from the “America First” stance of his former boss, current front-runner Donald Trump.
Pence did not mention Trump when announcing his withdrawal from the race. However, he urged Democratic President Joe Biden to fully support Israel’s incursion into Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which caused over 1,000 deaths. Israel has launched airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave and cut off power and communication as part of their operation against the militant group.
After announcing his decision, Pence urged the crowd at the Republican Jewish Coalition summit to remain steadfast in their faith, family, and the U.S. Constitution, while promoting America’s role as the leader of the free world.
Trump, who has previously received a warm reception from the Jewish group, was scheduled to speak later in the day as the final White House hopeful at the annual gathering.
U.S. Senator Tim Scott and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy both expressed their unequivocal support for Israel’s right to defend itself following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. They also criticized Democratic officials and liberals for failing to sufficiently condemn antisemitism in the United States.
The Republican candidates made their speeches in Las Vegas while Israel expanded its ground operation into Gaza.
Traditionally, this gathering at a casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip offers GOP candidates a chance to reach out to Jewish voters and demonstrate their support for Israel, a priority for the party and its base, including Christian evangelicals. However, this year’s summit takes place as Israel faces a crisis and war situation.
In his speech, Scott, who frequently emphasizes his Christian faith, referred to Hamas’ actions as “evil personified” and quoted from the Book of Proverbs, stating, “As a Christian, I see the Jewish people as my elder brothers and sisters in faith.”
Ramaswamy, who has been criticized by Pence for his lack of experience and foreign policy stances, has occasionally faced questions from conservatives regarding his views on Israel. His speech was filled with aggressive rhetoric, expressing his desire for the Israeli military to eliminate the top 100 Hamas leaders and displaying support for abandoning the two-state solution.
While the crowd of approximately 1,000 coalition donors did not wear red yarmulkes with the word “Trump,” their support for him was evident. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has made criticism of Trump a central theme of his campaign, was met with immediate boos when he took the stage.
The longtime benefactor of the organization, billionaire casino mogul and GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson, became a strong supporter of Trump and urged coalition members to support him in 2016.
Adelson passed away in 2021, and his widow, Miriam Adelson, remains a major party donor but has declared her neutrality in the primary.
Many of the candidates directed their criticism towards President Joe Biden, particularly regarding a $6 billion transfer to Iran as part of a deal to release five U.S. citizens detained in the country, an expenditure administration officials claim has not been spent.
Earlier this month, Biden made a visit to Israel to show support while attempting to prevent the war from escalating into a larger regional conflict. In the U.S., Biden has requested billions of dollars in military assistance for Israel and Ukraine, linking the conflicts to broader global threats and asserting that stopping Hamas and Russia is crucial for America’s national security.
Most candidates pledged strong support for Israel in their speeches, with few touching on the topic of Ukraine.
Ramaswamy, who has occasionally criticized U.S. aid to Israel, mentioned personally funding a 200-seat charter flight to evacuate Americans from Israel, similar to the actions taken by rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Ramaswamy faced boos when he stated that America’s priority is to be strong domestically, mind its own affairs, and avoid foreign military entanglements unrelated to national security.
Scott referred to Hamas’ actions as “evil personified” and discussed his work in the Senate on antisemitism legislation. He accused liberal politicians of not speaking out enough against the marginalization and oppression of Jewish Americans.
When Scott mentioned U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib, the crowd booed. Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, has called for a cease-fire and a reevaluation of U.S. military aid to Israel due to concerns of potential war crimes. She has faced criticism from members of both parties for not explicitly blaming Hamas for the attack.
Scott said of Democrats, “They would rather embrace antisemitism within their ranks than upset their liberal base.”
