Pro-Israel lobby groups are pouring millions of pounds into the Illinois primary elections to assert their influence as public support for the US ally reaches a historic low amid a joint military campaign against Iran.
The Democratic primaries in the Chicago area, scheduled for Tuesday, serve as a significant test of the strength of pro-Israel politics.
Groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) have emerged as the largest spenders, with an investigation by Chicago’s public radio WBEZ revealing that AIPAC and its donors have spent $13.7 million on the primaries, often through funds channelled to shadow political action committees (PACs), reports Al Jazeera.
Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for the progressive group Justice Democrats, stated that AIPAC is employing “covert shell” groups, such as the United Democracy Project, because the lobby has become a “toxic force” within the Democratic Party.
He noted that voters are increasingly rejecting candidates backed by AIPAC, particularly following the conflict in Gaza.
A source close to AIPAC informed Jewish Insider that the group is focused on defeating six candidates critical of Israel across four contests in Illinois. One of the most closely watched races is for the open seat vacated by retiring Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.
Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old progressive activist who has described the war on Gaza as a genocide, is a leading contender. Her primary opponents include Daniel Biss, the Mayor of Evanston, who is backed by the liberal Zionist group J Street, and State Senator Laura Fine, who is viewed as the pro-Israel candidate. In a tactic described as a “bizarre twist,” an AIPAC-linked group ran advertisements supporting long-shot candidate Bushra
Amiwala in an apparent attempt to siphon votes away from Abughazaleh and possibly Biss. Amiwala has since disavowed the advertisements.
In a neighbouring district, progressive Junaid Ahmed is challenging former Congresswoman Melissa Bean. Ahmed has highlighted what he terms “dark money” interference in the race. Other competitive contests include the race to fill the seat of Representative Robin Kelly, who is now running for the Senate.
This contest pits Jesse Jackson Jr. against Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, who is backed by pro-Israel groups, and State Senator Robert Peters, a critic of AIPAC.
AIPAC is also reportedly prioritising the defeat of activist Kina Collins in the race for retiring Congressman Danny Davis’s seat, which includes candidates Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and State Representative LaShawn Ford.
The primary will determine the nominees for the Senate seat being vacated by Dick Durbin. On the Democratic side, Congresswoman Kelly, who has accused Israel of genocide, faces Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, both of whom are strong supporters of Israel.
The elections arrive as the impact of the war with Iran begins to affect Americans through rising prices at the petrol pump. While most Democratic candidates oppose US attacks on Iran without congressional approval, an NBC poll suggests only 17 per cent of Democratic voters sympathise more with Israelis than Palestinians. Andrabi concluded that regardless of Tuesday’s results, AIPAC is “losing the long-term battle for the future” of the Democratic Party.
