How Much Influence Does Israel Have Over U.S. Elected Officials?

Bernie Sanders’ 2020 national campaign director Analilia Mejia beat AIPAC-backed candidate Tom Malinowski in NJ’s recent special election

As mid-term season ramps up, important primary races are underway in Texas and Illinois. The midterm elections will potentially reshape the U.S. Congress, making it critical to understand how important the outcomes are for Israel and its powerful slate of U.S. lobbying groups.

“We expect to be involved in dozens of races both in primaries and general elections this cycle,” said Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for AIPAC’s affiliated super PAC, the United Democracy Project (UDP).

According to Track AIPAC, there are currently only 21 members of U.S. Congress who have never accepted money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel PAC in the US) or other pro-Israel lobby groups. The remaining 514 sitting members have all accepted varying amounts of fundraising money from pro-Israel lobbyists.

With the Illinois primary just two days away, AIPAC has spent more than $1.9 million on ads to replace retiring Rep. Danny Davis with Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the city treasurer of Chicago. She faces over a dozen other candidates in the upcoming primary. And IL Sen. Dick Durbin is retiring after more than 30 years in office, with three top Democratic candidates vying for his seat.

Durbin received more than $2.7 million in pro-Israel donations over his decades in office. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who accepted more than $1.7 million in pro-Israel donations, is vying for his seat along with Rep. Robin Kelly, the recipient of just over $368,000 from Israeli lobbies and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, who has received just over $248,000.

U.S. Democratic Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Jesus “Chuy” Garcia are also retiring. Schakowsky has received more than $2.5 billion from Israeli lobbyists while Garcia hasn’t received any and rejects AIPAC. Dozens of Democrats are vying for those seats, with AIPAC playing an increasingly bigger role in candidates’ platforms.

Schakowsky, once a staunch supporter of Israel, has increasingly become critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war in Gaza and recently withdrew her support of Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller to succeed her. Miller has pulled in more than $3.3 million in AIPAC-related donations. “Illinois deserves leaders who put voters first, not AIPAC or out-of-state Trump donors,” said Schakowsky. She endorsed Evanston Mayor Daniel Bliss instead, who has received just over $288,000 in pro-Israel funding.

The Texas Senate primaries have yielded tight races for Democrats and Republicans alike, with AIPAC once again playing a key role. James Talarico, who received just over $23,000 from pro-Israel interests, will face an as yet to be determined Republican challenger. Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, who has accepted more than $2 million from AIPAC and other Israeli interests, is being challenged by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who received just over $53,000 from Israeli lobbyists.

The Republican primary was so close that the two candidates will face a runoff on May 26. Paxton’s success puts President Donald Trump in a sticky position. Trump himself has received more than $230 million from Israeli groups and it was expected he would endorse Israel’s candidate, Cornyn. But Paxton has gained traction within the MAGA movement, and Trump risks alienating his voters by endorsing Cornyn. Talarico’s popularity has been rising with some predicting he may turn one of Texas’s Senate seats blue for the first time in 33 years.

AIPAC and its offshoots began to ramp up spending during the 2022 midterms, shelling out more than $221 million between December of 2021 and January of 2026.

Their strategy has not always paid off though, as was the case in the recent Democratic primary special election in New Jersey. Israeli lobbyists spent more than $378,000 pushing former Rep. Tom Malinowski for a House seat. He was defeated by progressive candidate Analilia Mejia, who has been openly critical of Israel.

To learn if your U.S. representatives better reflect your interests or Israel’s, check Track AIPAC.

8,395 Comments

  1. Worth a quiet moment of recognition for the consistency I have noticed across multiple posts, and a stop at snowharborcommercegallery continued that consistent quality, sites that maintain quality across many pieces rather than peaking on one viral post are sites with real editorial discipline and this one has clearly developed that discipline carefully.

  2. Reading this prompted me to dig into a related topic later, and a stop at bisonholly provided some of the starting points for that follow up reading, content that triggers further exploration rather than satisfying curiosity completely is content with real generative energy and this site has plenty of that energy throughout it.

  3. Most blog writing on this subject reaches for the same handful of arguments and this post avoided them, and a look at momentumworks continued the original treatment, content that finds its own path through territory other writers have flattened is content with real authorial energy and this site has plenty of that distinctive energy.

  4. Taking the time to read carefully here has been worthwhile for the past hour, and a look at nextstepnavigator extended the worthwhile reading, the calculation of return on reading time spent is something I do informally and this site has been producing positive returns across multiple sessions during the last week of regular visits and reads.

  5. Bookmark added without hesitation after finishing, and a look at lotusnorth confirmed I should bookmark the homepage too rather than just this page, the rare site that earns category level trust rather than just single article approval is the kind I want to rely on across many different topics over time.

  6. Bookmark earned and shared the link with one specific person who would care, and a look at clarityguidesaction got the same targeted share, sharing carefully rather than broadcasting is a discipline I try to maintain and this site is generating shares from me at a sustainable rate rather than the spam rate of viral content.

  7. Now noticing that the post never raised its voice even when making a strong point, and a look at ideamotion continued that calm volume, content that can make important points without resorting to typographic emphasis or emotional appeal is content that trusts its substance to do the work and this site has that confidence consistently.

  8. 1xbet nasıl indirilir diye çok kafa yordum valla. Apk dosyasını nereden indireceğimi bulamadım bir türlü. Sonunda tüm teknik detayları inceleyip sistemi test ettim. En sonunda sağlam bir kaynağa ulaştım ve size de tüm detayları aktarmak istedim, güncel bilgilere buradan bakabilirsiniz: 1xbet indir 1xbet indir. Yani anlatmak istediğim şu — mobil uygulaması gerçekten akıcı çalışıyor.

    Hiçbir sıkıntı yaşamadım indirme aşamasında. İşin doğrusunu söylemek gerekirse — en kullanışlı uygulama bu oldu artık. Şimdiden iyi şanslar ve bol kazançlar…

  9. The depth of coverage felt about right for the format, neither shallow nor overwhelming, and a look at citrinefjord kept that calibration going, getting the depth right for blog format is genuinely difficult because too shallow loses experts and too deep loses beginners but this site nailed it nicely which I really do appreciate.

  10. Started reading without much expectation and ended on a high note, and a look at progresslogic continued that arc, content that builds rather than peaks early is a sign of a writer who knows how to structure a piece for sustained reader engagement rather than relying on a strong hook to do all the work.

  11. Genuine reaction is that I will probably think about this on and off for a few days, and a look at progressoverperfection added fuel to that, the best content lingers in your head after you close the tab rather than evaporating immediately and this site clearly knows how to write that kind of memorable content.

  12. My friends would appreciate a few of these posts and I will be sending links accordingly, and a look at directionalplanninglab added more pages to my share queue, content that earns shares to specific people in specific contexts is content with social utility and this site is generating those targeted shares from me consistently lately.

  13. A piece that left me thinking I had been undercaring about the topic, and a look at berryharborvendorroom reinforced that mild concern, content that raises the appropriate weight of a subject without being preachy about it is doing important work and this site is providing that gentle elevation of attention for me consistently.

  14. Honestly impressed by the consistency of voice across what I have read so far, and a quick visit to calicofalcon continued that consistent feel, when a site reads like one careful person rather than a committee the experience is more rewarding for the reader who notices these subtle editorial details over time.

  15. Worth saying that the writing carries a particular kind of authority without making any explicit claims to it, and a stop at ebonycanyon extended that earned authority feeling, sites that demonstrate expertise through the quality of their explanations rather than by stating credentials are sites I trust most and this site has it.

  16. Looking for similar voices elsewhere has come up empty in my recent searches, and a stop at momentumoptimization extended the search frustration, the rare site that does what no other does in quite the same way is precious and this one has clearly developed a particular approach that I have not been able to find duplicates of.

  17. Appreciate the practical examples, they made the abstract points easier to grasp, and a stop at linenmeadowmarkethall added more of the same, this site clearly understands that real examples beat empty theory every single time which is the mark of a writer who knows their audience well and respects their time.

  18. Quality writing that respects the reader’s intelligence without overloading them, and a quick look at claritydrivesexecution reflected that approach, a balanced thoughtful site that earns trust by being consistent rather than by shouting about how trustworthy it is which is the usual approach online sadly across most content categories.

  19. Reading this as part of my evening winding down routine fit perfectly, and a stop at strategyactivation extended the wind down nicely, content that calms rather than agitates is what I want at the end of the day and this site provides that calming reading experience reliably which is increasingly rare across the modern web.

  20. Took my time with this rather than rushing because the writing rewards attention, and after bitternarbor I had even more to absorb, the kind of content that pays back the patient reader rather than punishing them with empty filler is something I look for and rarely find in regular searches lately.

  21. Decided this was the best thing I had read all morning, and a stop at progressflowing kept that ranking intact, ranking my reading is something I do mentally throughout the day and the top rank is competitive and not easily won but this site won it without needing to overstate its claims for that.

  22. Worth pointing out that the post avoided the temptation to summarise everything at the end, and a look at progresstrajectory continued that confident closing approach, content that trusts readers to retain the substance without being reminded of it at the end is content that respects the reader and this site practices that respect.

  23. Appreciate how nothing here feels copied or pieced together from other places, the voice is consistent and the tone stays human, and after I checked directionalguidance I noticed the same style holds, which is a small detail but it makes the whole experience feel personal rather than like another generic site.

  24. Now placing this in the small category of sites whose updates I would actually want to know about, and a stop at lotusosprey confirmed that placement, the difference between sites I want to follow and sites I just consume from is real and this one has crossed into the active follow category from the casual consumption side.

  25. Reading this prompted a small redirection in something I was working on, and a stop at explorefreshstrategies extended that redirecting influence, content that affects my actual work rather than just my thinking has the highest practical impact and this site is providing that level of influence for me at a sustainable rate apparently.

  26. Closed the laptop and walked away thinking about the post for a good twenty minutes, and a stop at strategyplanninghub produced similar lingering thoughts, content that survives the closing of the browser tab is content that has actually entered the mind rather than just decorating the screen for the duration of the reading.

  27. Reading this triggered a small but real correction in something I had assumed, and a stop at awningalmond extended that corrective effect, content that updates my beliefs through evidence rather than rhetoric is content with intellectual integrity and this site has earned that label consistently across the pieces I have read so far today.

  28. Skipped the social share buttons but might come back to actually use one later, and a stop at berrycovemarketgallery extended that share urge, content that triggers genuine sharing impulses rather than performative ones is content that has actually moved me and not many posts in a typical week do that for me actually.

  29. Came back to this twice now in the same week which is unusual for me, and a look at actionwithclarity suggested I will keep coming back, the kind of post that earns repeated visits rather than one and done reading is the gold standard for content quality and this site clearly hit that standard.

  30. Beats most of the alternatives on the topic by a noticeable margin, and a look at ideaflowpath did not change that at all, this is one of the better corners of the open internet for this kind of content and I am glad I clicked through rather than skipping past quickly like I usually do.

  31. Bookmark earned and shared the link with one specific person who would care, and a look at nightorchardtradeparlor got the same targeted share, sharing carefully rather than broadcasting is a discipline I try to maintain and this site is generating shares from me at a sustainable rate rather than the spam rate of viral content.

  32. Closed the tab and immediately reopened it ten minutes later because I wanted to reread a part, and a stop at cloverdahlia drew the same return, content that pulls you back after closing it is doing something well beyond the average and worth marking as exceptional in my mental catalogue of reliable sites.

  33. Most of the time I feel the open web is in decline and then I find a site like this, and a stop at nightfalltradehouse reinforced that mood lift, the cumulative effect of finding occasional excellent independent content versus the cumulative effect of finding mostly mediocre content is real for the long term reader maintaining web habits today.

  34. Bookmark added without hesitation after finishing, and a look at claritychanneling confirmed I should bookmark the homepage too rather than just this page, the rare site that earns category level trust rather than just single article approval is the kind I want to rely on across many different topics over time.

  35. Most attempts at writing on this topic feel like they are missing something and this post finally identified what was missing, and a look at elderbeetle extended that diagnostic clarity, content that names what is wrong with adjacent treatments while doing better itself is content with both critical and constructive value and this site has both.

  36. After several visits I am now confident this site is one to follow seriously, and a stop at camelchamois reinforced that confidence, the gradual building of trust through repeated quality exposures is the only sustainable way to develop reader loyalty and this site is building that loyalty in me through patient consistent work consistently.

  37. Took a screenshot of one section to come back to later, and a stop at visionprogression prompted another saved tab, the urge to capture and revisit specific pieces of content is something I rarely feel but when I do it tells me the work is worth more than the average passing read for sure.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *