Sheldon Adelson, a Billionaire, Gives Gingrich a Big Lift MANCHESTER, N.H. - For weeks this winter, as Newt Gingrich's presidential hopes faltered under the weight of millions of dollars in attack ads paid for by backers of Mitt Romney, a small group of Gingrich supporters quietly lobbied for help from one of the richest men in America: Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino owner and Mr. Gingrich's longtime friend and patron. Mike Clarke/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino owner, has a friendship with Newt Gingrich that spans two decades. Mr. Romney's supporters were also calling, imploring Mr. Adelson to stay out of the race. By the time Mr. Gingrich limped into New Hampshire, some of his top backers had given up on Mr. Adelson and begun prospecting elsewhere, including among erstwhile supporters of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, to finance the counterattack they believed could salvage Mr. Gingrich's campaign. But on Friday, the cavalry arrived: a $5 million check from Mr. Adelson to Winning Our Future, a "super PAC" that supports Mr. Gingrich. By Monday morning, the group had reserved more than $3.4 million in advertising time in South Carolina, a huge sum of money in a state where the airwaves come cheap and the Republican presidential primary is just 11 days away. The group is planning to air portions of a movie critical of Mr. Romney's time at Bain Capital, the private equity firm he helped found. The last-minute injection underscores how last year's landmark Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance has made it possible for a wealthy individual to influence an election. Mr. Adelson's contribution to the super PAC is 1,000 times the $5,000 he could legally give directly to Mr. Gingrich's campaign this year. Several people with knowledge of Mr. Adelson's decision to donate to Winning Our Future said that it was born out of a two-decade friendship with Mr. Gingrich, his advocacy on behalf of Israel and his turbulent months as a presidential candidate. "His friend needed his help," said a close associate of both men, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid drawing Mr. Adelson's ire. It's more than anything else a loyalty thing. And he believes strongly in his platform and in Newt's candidacy. Ron Reese, a spokesman for Mr. Adelson, declined to comment for this article. At a stop in New Hampshire on Monday, Mr. Gingrich, who complained bitterly about the wealthy Romney supporters who helped send him to a fifth-place finish in Iowa, said Mr. Adelson was operating on his own. "If he wants to counterbalance Romney's millionaires," Mr. Gingrich said, "I have no objection to him counterbalancing Romney's millionaires." But for Mr. Gingrich, the donation could be both boon and burden: Mr. Adelson comes with potential liabilities. His main source of income, casinos, could upset some social conservatives. That he operates in China could rankle isolationist voters, while some of his views on Israel are hawkish by mainstream Republican standards. Mr. Adelson's company, Las Vegas Sands, also faces a federal investigation for possible violations of a federal antibribery law, relating to operations in the Chinese gambling district of Macau, the company acknowledged last year. The company has said the investigation stems from the allegations of a disgruntled former employee. The aid is also likely to intensify public scrutiny of Mr. Adelson, 78, who has invested millions of dollars in conservative causes over the years but prefers to keep his political activities private. The relationship between Mr. Gingrich and Mr. Adelson dates to the mid-1990s and first centered on their common animosity for labor unions. Mr. Adelson was building his newest resort casino, the Venetian, and became embroiled in a battle with a local culinary union trying to organize his employees. The conflict soured further when Mr. Adelson helped finance a campaign in Nevada to pass legislation curtailing the ability of labor unions to automatically deduct money from members to finance political activities. Aides to Mr. Adelson turned to Mr. Gingrich - known for his criticism of labor unions - for advice, said George Harris, who worked for Mr. Adelson at the time. Aides to Mr. Gingrich, then the House speaker, helped Mr. Adelson hone his antiunion pitch, and Mr. Gingrich was invited to Las Vegas to speak and be honored with a fund-raiser. Mr. Gingrich endorsed the Nevada legislation. He also backed other legislation in 1998 to preserve tax deductions beneficial to the industry. "They hit it off immediately," Mr. Harris recalled Monday, explaining that he helped broker the introduction. They became friends, pals, as they had a great deal in common. Nicholas Confessore reported from Manchester, and Eric Lipton from Washington. Trip Gabriel and Jeremy W. Peters contributed reporting from Manchester, and Jeff Zeleny from Bedford, N.H.