AIPAC-backed candidates see mixed results in US midterm elections
Pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC and affiliated PACs spent tens of millions in the US midterms, backing hundreds of candidates, though most funds went to losers.
At a glance
- AIPAC and affiliated groups spent about $84 million in the US midterm elections, with roughly $55 million going to candidates who lost.
- The group backed 234 winning candidates across both parties, but nearly two-thirds of its total spending supported losing candidates.
- Notable AIPAC-backed losses included races in Michigan, Maine and California, while candidates backed by the group won in Missouri and New York.
Pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC and its affiliated political action committees spent tens of millions of dollars backing candidates in the US midterm elections held on November 3, but the money did not translate into consistent victories, with nearly two-thirds of the spending going to candidates who lost.
The group backed hundreds of candidates across both parties in primaries and the general election. On November 4, the day after Democrats won control of the House and Senate, AIPAC said it had counted 234 of its supported candidates as winners. It supported candidates in at least 32 of 35 Senate races, and 21 of 26 candidates who received more than $100,000 won their races.
Despite those wins, the overall financial record was poor. According to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, about $55 million of the $84 million spent by AIPAC, the United Democracy Project and linked groups went to losing candidates. Trita Parsi, the institute's executive vice president, said candidates increasingly view AIPAC donations as toxic.
In Texas, James Talarico won a Senate seat by more than 12 percentage points after publicly rejecting AIPAC funding. Pro-Israel groups gave only about $6,000 to his opponent, Ken Paxton.
Notable losses for AIPAC-backed candidates included Michigan, where the group and affiliated PACs spent about $30 million on Democrat Haley Stevens's unsuccessful primary bid and then an additional $9 million on Republican Mike Rogers, who lost to Abdul El-Sayed. In Maine, more than $4.8 million in support for Senator Susan Collins could not prevent her loss to Democrat Troy Jackson. In California, Aisha Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez, who had received more than $6 million in pro-Israel backing.
There were also successes. Wesley Bell won a Missouri House seat with more than 81 percent of the vote after receiving more than $3 million from AIPAC-related groups, much of it spent in a primary against Cori Bush. George Latimer was re-elected to the House in New York, and Sarah Elfreth won again in a heavily Democratic district after earlier primary support from the United Democracy Project.
AIPAC said in October that it would stop endorsing candidates and making direct contributions after this cycle, with much of its spending already running through affiliated PACs such as the United Democracy Project. Meanwhile, J Street, a pro-Israel and pro-peace group, said on November 4 that it had backed more than 200 candidates with more than $13 million, partly targeting candidates supported by AIPAC. A J Street poll found 72 percent of American Jewish voters backed the Democratic Party in the midterms.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- How much money did AIPAC and affiliated groups spend in the US midterm elections?
- AIPAC, the United Democracy Project and linked groups spent about $84 million in the election cycle, according to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.
- Did most AIPAC-backed candidates win their races?
- AIPAC said 234 candidates it backed won, but nearly two-thirds of the total money pro-Israel groups spent went to candidates who lost.
- Which candidates defeated AIPAC-backed opponents in notable races?
- Abdul El-Sayed beat Mike Rogers in Michigan, Troy Jackson defeated Susan Collins in Maine, and Aisha Wahab defeated Melissa Hernandez in California.
