After primary defeat, US pro-Israel lobby sets sights on midterms

The powerful US pro-Israel lobby group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), deployed a record-breaking $14.5 million in attack ads against Congressman Jamaal Bowman during his 2024 Democratic primary election. Bowman, who had previously declined an invitation to meet with AIPAC due to its mission of "keeping Congress pro-Israel," lost his seat to a pro-Israel Democrat.

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Even at that time, amongst progressives, we likened AIPAC to the NRA.

Notably, the extensive advertising campaign funded by AIPAC's political spending group, the United Democracy Project (UDP), did not focus on Israel. "Zero per cent [of the ads] talked about Israel," Bowman stated, explaining that the messaging instead questioned his Democratic credentials by highlighting his opposition to a specific bill supported by President Biden. This tactic appears to be a strategic shift, as public opinion, particularly among Democrats, has been increasingly turning against Israel. A recent Pew Research poll indicated that 60 percent of Americans held an unfavorable view of Israel, with this figure rising to 80 percent among Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents.

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Zero per cent [of the ads] talked about Israel. [The ads were] like, 'Oh, Jamaal Bowman is not a real Democrat because he opposed … this one part of one bill that Biden supported', whereas their real focus and agenda is unequivocal support for Israel.

Casey Kennedy, a co-founder of Track AIPAC, noted that AIPAC "never runs ads that mention Israel" because "the issue is not popular for them." Instead, the lobby group messages "about everything else under the sun." This strategy aims to circumvent potential backlash by focusing on broader political alignments rather than the core issue of support for Israel.

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Big money buys politicians who will do their bidding, and the results are clear.

Despite the shift in messaging, AIPAC celebrated Bowman's defeat, labeling him an "anti-Israel extremist." The group boasts a high success rate, claiming 98 percent of its endorsed candidates won their races in the 2024 elections, with AIPAC members contributing over $53 million to candidates. As the US Congress midterm elections approach, AIPAC is deploying this refined strategy again, aiming to influence outcomes by targeting candidates whose positions may not align with its agenda, while carefully managing public perception.

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AIPAC never runs ads that mention Israel. The issue is not popular for them. If they tried to run that messaging, it wouldn't work. So they're going to message about everything else under the sun.