NeverTrump’s Ricketts Family Boards the Trump Train

The Ricketts family, which spent $5.5 million earlier this year on a negative advertising campaign to stop Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination, will now spend $1 million in an effort to boost Trump’s efforts in the general election.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, who is the son of family patriarch Joseph Ricketts, endorsed Trump in May. But news that the family as a whole is now putting its weight behind Trump is a sign of party unity, and the steady collapse of NeverTrump.

Bloomberg News notes: “The Ricketts are among the biggest and most influential conservative donors in the country, deriving their fortune from the Omaha, Nebraska-based TD Ameritrade brokerage, founded by Joseph Ricketts.” The family also owns the Chicago Cubs, who are enjoying a good year and are in rare position to win the World Series for the first time since 1908. The Ricketts family initially backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in the 2016 presidential race, before he withdrew early.

After that loss, the Wall Street Journal notes, “Mr. Ricketts and his wife poured nearly $6 million into an anti-Trump super PAC that accused Mr. Trump in television advertisements of being a misogynist.” But Trump’s strong performance over the last several weeks, which has seen him pull close to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in some polls, and ahead in others, reportedly convinced the Ricketts family to lend their support.

“The Ricketts decided they could not sit back and watch Hillary Clinton become the next president of the United States,” Ricketts political strategist Brian Baker told the Journal. “Even though the Ricketts supported other candidates during the primary, they believe it is time to unite behind the nominees … This is all about helping Republicans win in the fall.”

Billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who endorsed Trump earlier this year after siding earlier with more establishment alternatives, is will also spend money in the coming weeks to boost Trump.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new book, See No Evil: 19 Hard Truths the Left Can’t Handle, is available from Regnery through Amazon. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.