AIPAC and other pro Israel PACs spend millions on House races

In short: Pro Israel political action committees, including AIPAC, have spent tens of millions of dollars supporting candidates in US House races in recent election cycles.

What's going on

Campaign finance data shows that AIPAC and other groups tied to the pro Israel lobby are putting large amounts of money into House contests. A political action committee, or PAC, is a group that raises and spends money to help candidates win elections (like a shared fundraising wallet used for politics).

According to OpenSecrets data cited in recent reporting, top recipients in the 2023 to 2024 cycle included Wesley Bell, a Democrat from Missouri, who received about $2.74 million. George Latimer, a Democrat from New York, received about $2.54 million. The same data shows many other House candidates getting sizable support across both parties, often more than $200,000 each, including Emilia Sykes, a Democrat from Ohio, at $225,971 and Deborah Ross, a Democrat from North Carolina, at $223,737.

The reporting also says AIPAC’s PAC spent more than $53 million during the 2024 cycle backing 361 Democratic and Republican candidates, and that 326 of them won. One example given was Rep. Brad Schneider, a Democrat from Illinois, who received more than $200,000. In one New Jersey House race, AIPAC reportedly spent $2.3 million opposing a progressive candidate, but that candidate still won.

What to watch

Progressive candidates have increasingly made AIPAC spending a campaign issue, arguing it gives outside groups too much influence, especially as Congress debates whether to place conditions on US aid to Israel. The same report notes that claims about cryptocurrency focused super PACs spending heavily in a Democratic Senate primary were not confirmed by the available data cited alongside the House race figures.

Source: NYTimes