AIPAC Spending Millions to Influence Democratic Primaries in 2024

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group , is pouring millions of dollars into Democratic primary races ahead of the 2024 elections. AIPAC's political action committee, the United Democracy Project, has already spent over $5 million on ads supporting moderate Democratic candidates and attacking progressives who are critical of Israel.

In one high-profile race, AIPAC is backing Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas, a centrist Democrat, against his progressive primary challenger Jessica Cisneros. The group has spent over $2 million on ads supporting Cuellar, who is a reliable vote for pro-Israel policies in Congress. Cisneros, on the other hand, has been critical of Israel's treatment of Palestinians and supports placing conditions on U.S. aid to Israel.

AIPAC's involvement in Democratic primaries has drawn backlash from progressive activists and some Democratic lawmakers. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York tweeted, "AIPAC is spending millions to try to silence human rights advocates and anyone who dares to speak up for Palestinian rights. This is not about supporting Israel, this is about suppressing dissent."

However, AIPAC defends its political spending as necessary to counter the growing influence of progressives who are critical of Israel. "The pro-Israel community will work to elect candidates who support the U.S.-Israel relationship," AIPAC spokesman Marshall Wittmann said in a statement. "The Democratic Party must not abandon its historic support for a strong U.S.-Israel alliance."

Why this matters: AIPAC's heavy spending in Democratic primaries could have a significant impact on the party's stance toward Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The battle between moderate, pro-Israel Democrats and progressives critical of Israel's policies is shaping up to be a major dividing line within the party heading into the 2024 elections.

Democratic Bellwether: The outcome of these primary races will be closely watched as a bellwether for the future direction of the Democratic Party on Israel. "This is a fight for the soul of the Democratic Party when it comes to Israel," said Logan Bayroff, vice president of the progressive pro-Israel group J Street. "Are we going to allow a right-wing group like AIPAC to dictate our policy, or are we going to stand up for our values of human rights and diplomacy?"

Key Takeaways

• AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobby, is pouring millions into Democratic primaries.
• AIPAC backs moderate Dems like Cuellar, attacks progressives critical of Israel.
• Progressives accuse AIPAC of suppressing dissent on Palestinian rights.
• AIPAC defends its spending to counter growing influence of Israel critics.
• Battle between pro-Israel Dems and Israel critics shapes 2024 party direction.