Sandra Mallin (76), a Republican from Las Vegas, NV, worked in Jewish philanthropy for 40 years, including as campaign chair of the Jewish Federation of Nevada and president of the board at Temple Beth Sholom. She is married to Stanley Mallin, 96, who developed and subsequently sold Caesars Palace and Circus Circus on the Las Vegas strip. Together, the couple founded The Sandra and Stanley Mallin Early Childhood Center in Las Vegas.
We are providing the unfiltered opinions of voters interviewed for this project. Those views are based on their understanding and perception of facts and information from a range of sources. In some cases, that information may be misleading or incorrect.
What are your top issues for the election?
Keeping the country from ending up as a socialist state, fighting corruption, like what occurred in the Obama administration with the Benghazi cover-up[1], and ensuring a successful economy. And also, health care. For our five adult children, health care has been a budget breaker. But if we go to universal health care, if you look to England and Canada, you know what could happen. It’s the long waits. It’s the decisions about who will get treatment and who won’t. It’s rationing. Even if you have obvious symptoms, they don’t want to treat you.[2]
Is support of Israel an important issue for you?
I believe that Netanyahu has played a role as huge as Winston Churchill. American and Israeli Jews don’t appreciate the strides of Israel, its safety, its growing economy. They just say it is time for a change. And Israeli government officials are targeting Netanyahu. It’s dirty politics. I also believe that the Iran deal and the support of it by Jewish Democrats was shocking. It showed me that when push comes to shove you don’t know who your friends are.
Why are you supporting Trump?
When I lived in New York I followed Donald Trump in the 1970s. To me, the thought that he would ever be a politician, or the President, was funny. I read the papers, including when he was with Marla Maples in Aspen at the same time his wife was still there. I believe he has gone full circle. He is a man of his word. He has the same patriotism that I did growing up—revering the military, revering the police. And he is more truthful than the others. He doesn’t owe anybody anything. He has an instinct for what is good for America. And he has been good for Israel. He will keep taxes low, protect health care somehow, and he will keep us safe. Sure, the tweets are bizarre, but everyone is doing it now. And his wife, she’s quiet and magnificent, but none of the magazines have put her on the front cover.
Will there be surprises in the campaign?
Nothing would surprise me in this day and age. And I do believe that election fraud will be big-time.
Do you see a lot of political disagreements in your community?
I feel that that we are in a civil war with our friends and people we know. And I think it’s going to get worse. I am shocked by the different opinions among Jews. Right now, the choice is to not talk to them, disagree with them or even just stay away from them. In Nevada, we’ve had a huge influx of people from all the high-tax states like California and New York. Everybody’s moved here, but they are voting here the same as they did there.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Footnotes
1. A House Committee investigating the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi found no evidence of corruption by the Obama administration. (The Guardian)
2. Spending cuts following the 2008 financial crisis led to delays in the UK’s healthcare services but support for the system remains strong, according to several reports. (NPR)