AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the largest pro-Israel lobbying group in the United States, boasting of “3 million grassroots members who want to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship.” Reporting from the campaign finance news outlet Sludge shows that they gave $3.7 million in November to the campaigns of U.S. lawmakers, and their website states they’ve contributed $17.4 million to support pro-Israel candidates. 

AIPAC is not considered a foreign lobbyist, since it does not directly represent Israel or any Israeli businesses, instead simply promoting a strong relationship between the United States and Israel. 

Fundraising has only increased for AIPAC since the Hamas Oct. 7 attacks that left 1,200 Israelis dead, and Israel’s subsequent military offensive on Gaza, which has killed 29,000 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Internal documents obtained by The Lever show AIPAC’s war chest has expanded to $90 million. While AIPAC’s Political Action Committee(PAC) can only contribute $5,000 to a candidate, individual donors use the PAC to earmark spending on campaigns of their choice, allowing their contributions to be far larger. 

Democratic Ohio U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman from Ohio’s 1st Congressional District has been a beneficiary of AIPAC donations. Between Sept. 30 and Dec. 31 of last year, Landsmanreceived 12 donations totaling $28,050 from donors through AIPAC. 

From Aug. 5 to Aug. 13 last year, Landsman, and several other members of the House of Representatives, traveled to Israel, for a trip sponsored by the AIPAC-affiliated American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF). 

Speaking about the journey in a video for AIPAC’s YouTube channel from Oct. 4 of last year, Landsman referred to Israel as a “beautiful, amazing, wonderful place,” saying both the U.S. and Israel are “responsible for spreading freedom and democracy.” Landsman was one of 22 Democrats who voted to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib for her comments on Israel. 

Alongside Landsman on the August trip to Israel was Democratic Ohio U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, who represents the 13th Congressional District. 

“Israel is a partner in democracy in the Middle East,” Sykes said in a video for AIPAC released on Aug. 12 last year about her time in the country. 

From Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 of last year, Sykes received 17 donations through AIPAC, totaling$19,900.  

Sykes joined a bipartisan resolution introduced in the House Foreign Affairs Committee standing with Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks, writing in a press release from Oct. 11: “I stand firmly and unequivocally with the Israeli people, the right for Israel to exist, and reaffirm my commitment to supporting the State of Israel in its right to defend itself.”

Other candidates who’ve accepted donations through AIPAC include: 

• Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Turner (OH-10): $66,700 from April 5 to Dec. 13, 2023. 
• Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller (OH-7): $27,500 from March 20 to Dec. 31, 3023.
• Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (OH-4): $6,760 from March 22 to Nov. 29, 2023.
• Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11): $68,593 from March 20 to Dec. 27 last year.
• Democratic U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty (OH-3): $20,735 from Sept. 20 to Nov. 8 last year. 

“Israel has long been a vanguard against the terror states of the Middle East. The men and women of AIPAC work tirelessly in support of America’s relationship with this key ally, proving timely, accurate information about the region to members of Congress and other policymakers,” said a spokesperson from Rep. Jordan’s campaign. “We must remain united against all threats to Israel’s peace, stability, and very existence—which cannot be taken for granted.”

“Congresswoman Sykes has been clear that Hamas’ violent and horrific terrorist attack on October 7th was heartbreaking and that Israel has a right to defend itself,” responded Damon Drew, Rep. Sykes’s campaign manager, in an emailed statement. “Because of the Congresswoman’s appeal to a broad coalition, she has raised over $1.5 million dollars in contributions from over 7,300 supporters this election cycle with 75% being from first time donors.”

What is the United Democracy Project? 

AIPAC’s influence isn’t exerted through campaign donations alone. The United Democracy Project is a Super PAC created by AIPAC in 2021. Billing itself as a “an organization comprised of American citizens— Democrats, Republicans and Independents — united in the belief that America’s partnership with our democratic ally Israel benefits both countries,” the Super PAC raised more than $35 million in 2023. That money is then used to help elect candidates the PAC feels will further Israeli interests, or undermine those they believe will not. 

Notably, the United Democracy Project spent $1.4 million in 2022 on four U.S. House races, including $198,877 against Nina Turner in her primary contest against Shontel Brown for Ohio’s 11th District. 

According to OpenSecrets, the UDP has spent $4,988,278 in 2024 on three candidates, two opposing, one supporting. Their largest expenditure was $4,615,281 against Dave Min, during the Democratic primary for California’s 47th House District. Despite the UDP’s spending, Min won the primary. 

How Progressive Groups Are Responding to AIPAC’s Influence

Describing itself as a “a broad coalition of progressive groups working together to take on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its affiliated dark money Super PACs across electoral, political, digital and organizing strategies,” Reject AIPAC is a coalition of over 20 organizations, hoping to counter attempts by AIPAC to primary progressive Democrats, who’ve become increasingly critical of Israel since the Gaza offensive began. 

Members of the coalition include the Justice Democrats, Jewish Voices for Peace, and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, among others. The coalition asks that candidates for federal office take a pledge to “not to take endorsements or contributions from AIPAC and/or any aligned PACs.”

Speaking to the Associated Press, Usamah Andrabi, communications director for Justice Democrats, explained the coalition’s strategy.

“These are a handful of Black and brown progressive incumbents who are under attack from a threat of $100 million in spending and usually Democratic leadership and establishment is up in arms anytime someone primaries an incumbent,” said Andrabi. “So we are coming together to ensure that they have the resources to defend themselves against AIPAC.”