What's going on: It's no secret that donors shell out huge amounts of cash to buy influence and access, and many politicians, regardless of party, are happy to benefit. But this midterm season, progressives are calling out fellow Dems for taking super PAC money –– particularly from groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Take yesterday’s primary in Michigan: AIPAC spent more than $30 million supporting moderate Senate candidate Hayley Stevens — and attacking her progressive opponent, former Detroit health official Abdul El-Sayed, who has been critical of Israel. El-Sayed has called out Stevens for the AIPAC donations, describing her recent pro-Israel vote as “the pro quo that comes with the quid.” That messaging may have had an effect — with more than 95% of the votes in early Wednesday morning, El-Sayed was leading a tight race.
It’s not just swing states: According to a New York Times analysis, AIPAC has more than doubled its campaign spending over the past three election cycles, most of it on Democratic primaries –– and those investments have helped elect 15 members of Congress. This year so far, NYT reports that AIPAC-affiliated groups have spent $67 million on campaign advertising in primaries across the country, often outspending other super PACs funded by pro-AI and pro-crypto donors. But this increased spending comes at a time when, across parties, more voters are adding super PAC donations to their “cons” column. And politicians seem to be putting a finger to the wind: Dems considering 2028 presidential campaigns are preemptively distancing themselves from AIPAC, including those who have previously accepted donations.
