Gambling PAC goes all in on Texas

Las Vegas Sands is doubling down on its commitment to bringing casinos to Texas with a new political action committee that is starting out with over $2 million to spend.

In its first report with the Texas Ethics Commission, Texas Sands PAC showed initial funding of $2.3 million from Miriam Adelson, Las Vegas Sands’ majority shareholder. It already has spent over half a million dollars, mostly to help incumbents who were facing primary competition.

The company made a high-profile push last year to legalize casino gambling in Texas, though its legislation to let voters decide on the issue did not get far at the Capitol, only receiving a committee hearing in the House. Still, the gaming empire has insisted it is not giving up and says the PAC is part of a “long-term commitment to Texas.”

The initial recipients of the PAC’s largesse include over 30 incumbents from both parties in the House and Senate, as well as a handful of candidates for open seats, according to the report filed in the last week of February. The combined donations in each of the House races ranged from $3,000 to $25,000. The larger sum went to some incumbents who are a high priority for House Speaker Dade Phelan and his allies, like Republican Ryan Guillen, the party-switching representative from South Texas. The PAC gave Senate candidates $4,000 or $30,000, with the larger amount going to candidates such as Pete Flores, the former Republican senator from Pleasanton who is vying to return to the chamber. The PAC also gave $75,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott.