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.
Reading this prompted me to dig out an old reference book related to the topic, and a stop at cocoaborn extended that connection to other sources, content that connects me back to my own existing knowledge rather than asking me to forget it is content with continuity and this site has that continuous quality.
One of the more thoughtful posts I have read recently on this topic, and a stop at defcoast added even more weight to that impression, this is genuinely good content that holds its own against far better known sites in the same space without trying to imitate any of them at all which I appreciate.
Worth saying this site reads better than most paid newsletters I have tried, and a stop at aeoncraft confirmed that comparison, the bar for free content is often lower than for paid but this site clears the paid bar consistently and that says something about the editorial approach behind the work being published here regularly.
Such writing is increasingly rare and worth supporting through attention, and a stop at bauxauras extended that supportive attention across more pages, the conscious choice to spend time on sites that produce careful work rather than convenient consumption is itself a small form of patronage and this site is receiving that conscious patronage from me.
Bookmark added without hesitation after finishing, and a look at curiopacts 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.
Took some notes for a project I am working on, and a stop at cotchoice added more raw material to those notes, content that contributes to my own creative work rather than just being interesting in the moment is the kind I value most and the kind I will keep coming back to repeatedly.
Now appreciating that the post did not try to imitate any other style I might recognise, and a stop at cryptbuilt continued that distinct voice, content with its own register rather than borrowed from elsewhere is content with real authorial presence and this site has clearly developed that presence through what feels like patient editorial work.
Decided this was the kind of site I would defend in a discussion about good blog content, and a stop at 1091m2love reinforced that, very few sites earn active defence rather than passive consumption and this one has clearly crossed that threshold for me without needing any explicit pitch from the writers themselves either.
Probably one of the more reliable sources I have found for this kind of careful coverage, and a look at premiumglobalessentials reinforced the reliability, the small group of sources I would describe as reliable for a given topic is curated carefully and this site has earned a place in that small group through consistent performance.
Skipped lunch to finish reading, which says something, and a stop at burlauras kept me at my desk longer than planned, when content beats the lunch impulse the writer has done something genuinely impressive in an attention environment full of immediately satisfying alternatives competing for the same finite block of reader time.
A welcome contrast to the loud takes that have dominated my feed lately, and a look at apexhelms extended that calm voice, content that arrives without yelling has become unusual in the modern attention economy and this site is one of the few places I have found that consistently delivers without raising its voice.
Started a draft response in my head and ended without publishing it because the post said it well enough, and a look at astrebeige produced the same effect, content that satisfies my urge to add to it by being complete enough on its own is rare and represents a particular kind of editorial completeness here.
Closed and reopened the tab three times before finally finishing, and a stop at goldenbranchmart held my attention straight through, sometimes content fights for time against my own distraction and the times it wins say something positive about its quality and this post clearly won that fight today afternoon for me.
A well calibrated piece that knew its scope and stayed inside it, and a look at harryandeddies maintained the same scope discipline, scope creep is one of the failure modes of long blog posts and this site has clearly invested in the editorial discipline to prevent it which shows up in tightly contained pieces.
Walked away in a slightly better mood than when I started reading, that says something about the writing, and a stop at chordaria kept that going, content that leaves you feeling more capable rather than overwhelmed is the kind I keep coming back to again and again over the years and across many topics.
Bookmark earned and folder updated to track this site separately, and a look at bookbulb confirmed the folder upgrade was the right call, organising my reading list so that good sites do not get lost in a sea of casual bookmarks is something I do more carefully now and this site warranted its own spot.
Worth pointing out that the writing reads as confident without being defensive about it, and a look at palmmills extended that secure tone, content that does not pre emptively argue against imagined critics has a different quality from defensive writing and this site reads as written from a place of real ease.
Honestly the simplicity of the explanation made the topic click for me in a way other writeups had not, and a look at pactcliff continued that clarity into related areas, when a writer gets the level of explanation right the reader does the heavy lifting themselves and the post just enables it.
Speaking carefully because I do not want to overstate things this site is genuinely above average across multiple measurements, and a stop at aerobound continued the above average performance, the calibration of judgement against potential overstatement is something I take seriously and this site clears the higher bar even after that calibration applies.
Worth saying this site reads better than most paid newsletters I have tried, and a stop at dewcarve confirmed that comparison, the bar for free content is often lower than for paid but this site clears the paid bar consistently and that says something about the editorial approach behind the work being published here regularly.
Now placing this in the same category as a few other sites I have come to trust, and a look at bauxbee continued the placement decision, the small category of fully trusted sites is one I extend rarely and only after multiple positive reading sessions and this site has earned the category placement methodically over time.
Reading this between meetings turned out to be the most useful thing I did all afternoon, and a stop at frostcoasts kept that productivity feeling going, content can sometimes outperform actual work in terms of what gets accomplished mentally and this site managed that today which is genuinely a high bar to clear consistently.
Worth a slow read rather than the fast scan I usually default to, and a look at findamazingoffers earned the same slower pace from me, content that resets my reading speed downward is content with substance worth absorbing and this site has produced that effect on me multiple times now over the last week here.
Liked that the post acknowledged complications rather than pretending they did not exist, and a stop at portolive continued that honest framing, sites that handle complexity with care rather than papering it over with simplifying claims are doing real intellectual work and this one is clearly in that category based on what I have read.
Good post, the kind that respects the reader by getting to the point quickly without skipping the details that matter, and a short look at cotcircle confirmed that approach is consistent across the site which is rare to find online these days, definitely a place I will return to soon.
Thanks for the simple approach, too many sites bury the actual point under layers of unnecessary words, but here every line earns its place, and a look at cubeasana showed the same care for the reader which is something I will remember the next time I need answers on a topic.
The overall feel of the post was professional without being stuffy, and a look at coilbliss kept that approachable expertise going, finding the right register for technical content is hard but this site has clearly figured out how to sound knowledgeable without slipping into that distant lecturing tone that loses readers in droves every time.
Just wanted to say this was useful and leave a small note of thanks, and a quick visit to berrybombselfiespot earned a similar nod from me, the small acknowledgements add up over time and represent the real economy of trust that good content runs on across the open and increasingly fragmented modern internet.
A piece that read as if the writer was thinking carefully rather than just typing fluently, and a look at refinedlifestylecommerce continued that considered quality, the difference between fluent typing and careful thinking shows up in writing and this site reads as the product of thought rather than just the product of language fluency apparently.
Well done, the kind of post that makes you slow down and actually read instead of skimming for keywords, and a look at burlclip kept me reading carefully too, that is a sign of writing that has been crafted rather than churned out for an algorithm to see today and tomorrow.
Started this morning and finished at lunch with a small sense of having spent the time well, and a look at graingroves extended that satisfaction into the afternoon, content that fits naturally into the rhythm of a working day rather than demanding a dedicated reading block is increasingly the kind I prefer.
Genuine pleasure to read, and that is not something I say often after a casual click through, and a quick visit to clippoises kept the same feeling going across the rest of the site, finding writing that actually feels good to spend time with rather than just functional is increasingly rare on the open web.
The post made the topic feel approachable without making it feel trivial, that is a fine balance, and a stop at astrebulb maintained the same balance, finding the middle ground between welcoming and serious is genuinely difficult and the writers here have clearly figured out how to consistently hit it well across many different posts.
Reading this confirmed that the topic deserves more careful attention than it usually gets, and a stop at domelegends extended that elevated framing, content that raises the appropriate weight of a subject without being preachy about it is serving a quiet but important editorial function for the broader cultural conversation about it.
Honest reaction is that this is the kind of writing I would defend in a conversation about good blog content, and a look at airycargo reinforced that, the rare site whose work I would actively recommend rather than just tolerate is the kind I want to support through return visits regularly.
Better than most of the writing I have come across on this topic recently, simpler and more direct, and a look at bookcliff continued in that same way, a real outlier in a crowded space full of repetitive content that says little while taking up a lot of reader time today which is unfortunate.
Felt this in a way I cannot quite explain, the topic just hit different here, and a stop at bauxcircle continued in that vein, sometimes you find a site whose perspective lines up with how you have been thinking and reading their work feels like a small relief which I appreciated more than I expected.
The overall feel of the post was professional without being stuffy, and a look at fernpiers kept that approachable expertise going, finding the right register for technical content is hard but this site has clearly figured out how to sound knowledgeable without slipping into that distant lecturing tone that loses readers in droves every time.
If I had to summarise the editorial sensibility of this site in a few words it would be careful and human, and a look at dewchase extended that summary feeling, capturing the essence of a sites approach in brief is hard but this site has a clear enough identity that the summary comes naturally enough.
Reading this site over the past week has changed how I evaluate content in this space, and a look at cultbotany extended that recalibration, the standards I bring to reading on the topic have shifted upward as a direct result of regular exposure to this kind of work and that shift will outlast any single reading session.
Worth saying that the prose reads naturally without straining for style, and a stop at cotcloud maintained the same unforced quality, writing that achieves elegance without effort is the highest tier and this site has clearly worked out how to land that effortless quality consistently rather than only on the writers best days.
Bookmark folder created specifically for this site, and a look at nighttoshineatlanta confirmed the dedicated folder was the right call, dedicated folders for individual sites are a level of organisation I rarely deploy and this site has earned that level of dedicated tracking based on the consistency I have seen so far across sessions.
Honestly impressed, did not expect to find this level of care on the topic, and a stop at portpoise cemented the impression, you can tell within the first few paragraphs whether a site is going to be worth the time and this one delivered on that early promise nicely throughout the rest of what I read.
Appreciate the work that went into laying this out so clearly, every section earns its place without filler, and a look at pactpalace confirmed the same care, definitely the kind of place that deserves a return visit when the topic comes up again later in the future or for any related question.
Now feeling the small relief of finding writing that does not condescend, and a stop at shemplymade extended that respect for readers, content that treats its audience as capable adults rather than as people to be managed produces a different reading experience and this site has clearly chosen the respectful approach across all pieces.
Found the post genuinely useful for something I was working on this week, and a look at chordbase added more material I will reference, content that connects to my actual life and work rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind I will pay attention to and return to repeatedly.
If the topic interests you at all this is a place to spend time, and a look at softbreezeoutlet reinforced that recommendation, the broader question of where to invest topical reading time is one this site answers convincingly through the consistent quality across multiple pieces I have sampled during the current reading session today.
Took a few notes from this post, the points are easy to remember without needing to come back and check, and a look at coilbyrd added a couple more, the kind of place that sticks in the memory long after the browser tab has been closed for the day which says a lot really.
Will share this on a forum I am part of where it will be appreciated by others working in the same area, and a look at apexhelm suggests there is more here worth passing along too, definitely a generous resource that deserves a wider audience than it probably has today across the open internet.
Adding this to my list of go to references for the topic, and a stop at amidbrawn confirmed the rest of the site deserves the same, definitely the kind of resource that earns its place rather than getting forgotten the moment the next interesting article shows up in my feed somewhere else on the web.