WASHINGTON, DC – Pro-Israel groups in the United States are spending millions of dollars on elections to assert their influence over growing anger over Israeli policies.
A series of primaries in the Midwestern state of Illinois on Tuesday will be an early test of the strength of pro-Israel politics in the United States amid a joint war against Iran.
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The Democratic primary in the Chicago area comes as Israel’s popularity in the United States reaches historic lows, with groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) emerging as the biggest spenders.
A newly formed political action committee (PAC) with a generic name that shares vendors with pro-Israel lobbying groups is spending heavily on Illinois progressives amid growing Democratic rejection of AIPAC’s brand.
Several so-called underground finance groups, which are not required to reveal their funders until after the vote, are supporting the same candidates as AIPAC.
AIPAC and its donors spent $13.7 million on the primary, including through money raised by shadow PACs, according to an investigation by Chicago public radio WBEZ.
Osama Andrabi, a spokesman for the progressive group Justice Democrats, said AIPAC is using “secret shell” groups because it recognizes Israel’s unpopularity, especially after its “livestreaming genocide” in Gaza.
He pointed out that AIPAC’s elections arm is called the United Democracy Project, but that name does not mention Israel.
“AIPAC has always relied on voters not knowing the full story,” Andrabi told Al Jazeera.
“AIPAC has become such a toxic force within the Democratic Party that when voters now see AIPAC-backed candidates, they reject them simply because of their support.”
Sources close to AIPAC told Jewish Insider this week that AIPAC is focused on defeating six candidates critical of Israel in four races in Illinois.
Cut Abu Ghazaleh Lace
In one of the most-watched races, Kat Abu-Ghazaleh, a 26-year-old progressive activist with a large online following, is embroiled in a crowded race for the vacant seat vacated by retiring Congressman Jan Schakowsky.
Abu Ghazaleh, who has openly called Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide, is running against multiple candidates for the safe Democratic seat.
Her most prominent opponents are Daniel Biss, the mayor of the Chicago suburb of Evanston, who is critical of some Israeli policies and backed by the liberal Zionist group J Street, and state Sen. Laura Fine, who is seen as a pro-Israel candidate in the race.
AIPAC-affiliated groups initially attacked Biss in an attempt to prop up Fine.
But pro-Israel groups have turned their attention to Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh in recent days, fearing another miscalculation, as in the recent New Jersey campaign, where attacks on centrist candidates mildly critical of Israel helped win for progressive activists across the board.
And in a strange twist, last week a group associated with AIPAC ran an ad supporting Bushra Amiwala, a leading candidate who fiercely opposes US aid to Israel, in an apparent attempt to siphon votes from Abu Ghazaleh and possibly Bis.
Amiwala quickly denied the ad. “This is an attempt to smear my name by putting my name next to a pro-genocide, pro-war billionaire,” she said.
AIPAC did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment by the time of publication.
Andrabi, the Justice Democrat, said AIPAC’s tactics show how the lobbying group has become a “toxic” brand to Democratic voters.
The Democratic Party for Justice is backing Abu Ghazaleh in the election, but Andrabi said even if Bis wins, it will be a defeat for AIPAC.
Recent public policy polls show Mr Abu Ghazaleh in a close second place behind Mr Biss with 20% to 24% respectively, followed by Mr Fine with 14%.
In the Democratic primary in a neighboring district, progressive candidate Junaid Ahmed has also made strides, closing the gap with pro-Israel candidate Melissa Bean, a former congresswoman.
Although Mr. Ahmed has focused his campaign on domestic issues, he has emphasized AIPAC’s interference in the campaign.
“This is dark money versus democracy. Tomorrow we will send a package to AIPAC,” Ahmed wrote in a social media post on Monday.
“AIPAC is losing the long game.”
Other competitive races include a primary to fill the seat of Rep. Robin Kelly, who is currently running for the Senate.
jesse jackson’s race pit Junior, the son of the late civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, is running against several candidates, including Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller. It is backed by state Sen. Robert Peters, who has criticized pro-Israel groups and AIPAC.
Another crowded race will take place on Tuesday to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Rep. Danny Davis.
According to Jewish insiders, AIPAC’s priority is to defeat activist Kina Collins in that race. Other candidates include Chicago Finance Secretary Melissa Conyers Ervin and state Rep. LaShawn Ford.
A primary election will also be held to determine the Democratic and Republican candidates for the Senate, as incumbent Dick Durbin is scheduled to leave Congress at the end of his term.
On the Democratic side, where the winner is likely to replace Mr. Durbin, Rep. Kelly, who also condemns Israel’s genocide, faces Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, both strong Israel supporters.
Andrabi said regardless of Tuesday’s results, polls show AIPAC’s influence is shrinking.
He also accused the pro-Israel lobby of “moving the goalposts” from electing favored candidates to blocking progressive candidates.
“We definitely want to win all these races, but I think it’s clear that AIPAC is losing the long-term battle for the future of this party,” Andrabi told Al Jazeera.
Although a majority of Democrats in Congress are pro-Israel, only 17% of the party’s voters sympathize with Israelis more than Palestinians, according to an NBC poll released Monday.
Tuesday’s election will be an early test of voters’ attitudes toward the war with Iran, whose effects are starting to hit Americans at the gas pump.
While most Democratic candidates have voiced opposition to a U.S. attack on Iran without Congressional approval, Andrabi said the war would be a major issue in the primaries starting Tuesday.
“This Democratic base doesn’t want another forever war. They don’t want a war led by Donald Trump. They don’t want a war with Iran, and they don’t want the wars we’re waging for Israel or AIPAC.”
