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For decades, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee had been an influential presence on Capitol Hill, working behind the scenes to lobby politicians and their staffers in support of Israel. But ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, AIPAC made a decision that would fundamentally alter its purpose and the contours of American politics.
After 60 years of issues-based lobbying, AIPAC for the first time opted to spend directly on campaigns. Flush with millions of dollars from loyal donors, among them Republican billionaires and megadonors to former President Donald Trump, AIPAC embraced a new strategy. It would use its vast funds to oust progressive members of Congress who have criticized human rights abuses by Israel and the country’s receipt of billions of U.S. dollars in military funding.
Just two years after it started pouring money into campaigns, AIPAC has become one of the largest outside spenders in congressional elections. The Intercept has chronicled AIPAC’s power through coverage of individual races, but never before has AIPAC’s massive outflow of money been analyzed in sum. This project uses records from the Federal Election Commission — submitted by the lobbying group’s federal political action committee, AIPAC PAC, and its super PAC, United Democracy Project — to map how much money has been spent on behalf of Israel, where these groups are doling out money, and what impact those funds are having on the balance of power in Congress.
AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment.
After each of its wins this cycle, AIPAC posted to X: “Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics!”
While it’s true that AIPAC won the overwhelming majority of races it waded into, the picture that emerges from AIPAC’s paper trail is more complex.
The Big Picture
When it rolled out its new strategy in the 2022 election cycle, AIPAC found immediate success. The lobbying group and another pro-Israel group, Democratic Majority for Israel, defeated Reps. Andy Levin, D-Mich., and Marie Newman, D-Ill., who were outspoken in their criticism of unconditional U.S. military funding for Israel. The campaign to defeat Levin marked a significant push from AIPAC to repress criticism of Israel even from Jewish members of Congress.
AIPAC has spent money on more than 80 percent of the 469 seats up for reelection this year.
Ahead of the 2024 cycle and amid growing public outrage over Israel’s war on Gaza, AIPAC made a bold pronouncement: Through its United Democracy Project arm and AIPAC PAC, it would spend $100 million on elections, about one-sixth of what outside groups spent on the 2020 presidential election.
There are few congressional races that AIPAC sat out this year. Of the 469 seats up for reelection this year, AIPAC has spent money on more than 80 percent: 389 races in total. AIPAC has sought influence over 363 seats in the House and 26 in the Senate.
Of the 389 candidates AIPAC funded, 57 did not face a primary. Of the primary elections that did take place, 88 candidates had no opponent.
The size of AIPAC’s war chest means it can pick and choose the races in which it is most likely to succeed — boosting its image as a kingmaker and its influence among candidates and members, while simultaneously hiking up the cost of criticizing U.S. policy toward Israel.
Funding Both Parties
AIPAC’s approach to electoral spending is bipartisan. The group has funded Republican, Democrat, and independent candidates alike. AIPAC PAC supported 233 Republicans with a total of more than $17 million in funds, 152 Democrats who received more than $28 million in sum, and three independents: Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Angus King of Maine, who got just under $300,000 between them. (Spending not covered in this analysis includes AIPAC PAC contributions that were refunded in 2023 or 2024 or those that went to other PACs and political organizations, such as the National Republican Senatorial Committee or the centrist Democratic nonprofit fundraising platform Democracy Engine.)
AIPAC PAC also gave more than $3 million to party committees and organizations on both sides of the aisle including the NRSC, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Jeffries Majority Fund, and Democracy Engine.
AIPAC spent this year on races in every state except Ohio (although the group funded several Ohio candidates in 2023). Among the places it spent most were New York and California, predictable big-money locations with two of the largest delegations in Congress. But outliers like Missouri and Maryland came into play this cycle as United Democracy Project funneled cash to back its preferred candidates. Missouri, where AIPAC spent the second-most on races this cycle, has only eight congressional seats but received more than $11.7 million in spending on just one race in which AIPAC-backed Wesley Bell ran against Rep. Cori Bush Bush, D-Mo.
In Maryland, Sarah Elfreth, supported by AIPAC, received $4.2 million in AIPAC funding this cycle. The spending has led to a decrease in members of Congress willing to criticize human rights abuses or condition aid to Israel as AIPAC targets progressive candidates. AIPAC-backed candidates, like Elfreth, have varying levels of support for Israel, from staunch advocates to less vocal ones. AIPAC also invested heavily in key House races, spending millions against certain candidates. Despite some losses, AIPAC’s strategy includes targeting and supporting specific candidates to advance its agenda. Additionally, AIPAC has ties to other pro-Israel groups and has influenced various political races in recent years. Looking ahead, AIPAC continues to focus on recruiting and supporting candidates aligned with its goals.
Summer Lee, D-Pa., was reported by The Intercept to have easily won her primary election in April.
AIPAC’s attacks on Bowman and Bush ultimately proved successful, with both losing in two of the most expensive House Democratic primary elections in history to candidates bankrolled by over $29 million in AIPAC dollars.
AIPAC has demonstrated its ability to channel significant amounts of money to remove insurgent members of Congress and candidates from power, targeting those who not only criticize U.S. policy towards Israel but also support policies in areas such as economics, policing, healthcare, and labor that are in conflict with the interests of the lobbying group’s affluent donors. AIPAC has shown its reach across Congress, rarely missing its target. What will happen next?
“AIPAC — much like any other corporate super PAC — symbolizes the most flawed aspects of our campaign finance system, allowing a few billionaires to promote their interests at the expense of millions of ordinary people,” stated Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, which has supported candidates in the face of AIPAC attacks. “To combat rising costs, protect our communities, and prevent further wars abroad, we must eliminate big money from politics once and for all.”
Data visualizations: Fei Liu
