The Argus Leader shared an article yesterday highlighting a six-day trip Mike Rounds is taking to Israel, hosted by Stan Adelstein. The Argus writes:
The trip was the idea of Stan Adelstein, a Jewish state senator and businessman from Rapid City who is one of Rounds’ biggest supporters. Adelstein had urged Rounds to visit Israel for years but said the chance never came up while Rounds was governor. Now that Rounds is in the early stages of a Senate campaign, both of them decided to make the trip.
Adelstein and his wife will accompany the Roundses. Adelstein is paying his own way, while Rounds said his expenses will be a mixture of his own personal money and campaign funds. The trip is unaffiliated with any other groups.
Such a trip could have dual benefits for Rounds, said Brian Goldberg, a political science professor at American Jewish University in Los Angeles. In addition to giving him more understanding about life in Israel, a geopolitically important American ally, building a connection to Israel could have political benefits for Rounds.