Once a Bipartisan Stalwart, AIPAC Turns 'Toxic' in the Illinois Primaries

[dalton99a]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/politics/aipac-illinois-primaries.html

https://archive.ph/Rqk2S

Once a Bipartisan Stalwart, AIPAC Turns ‘Toxic’ in the Illinois Primaries
The intervention of AIPAC supporters in Chicago-area Democratic primaries, including one with opposing Jewish candidates, has made the pro-Israel lobby an issue on the left.
By Julie Bosman and Jennifer Medina
March 5, 2026 Updated 9:51 a.m. ET

The televised debate for an open House seat in the Chicago area was zipping along smoothly, even politely, until the moderator turned from health care, housing and immigration to the knottiest issue of the campaign, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

“It’s dark money,” Laura Fine, an Illinois state senator, said last week, struggling to explain how she had received hundreds of thousands in donations from super PACs tied to AIPAC. “Our campaign does not coordinate.”

One of her opponents, Mayor Daniel Biss of Evanston, Ill., shot back, “Your campaign is bankrolled by AIPAC and MAGA donors.” Then Kat Abughazaleh, a third candidate running to the left of both Mr. Biss and Ms. Fine, jumped in to attack them for what she called “the lying, the bickering over who likes AIPAC more.”

AIPAC, the hard-line pro-Israel lobbying organization that once commanded bipartisan fealty, has increasingly become a boogeyman in Democratic circles, with scores of candidates distancing themselves from the group. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a likely 2028 presidential candidate, said he “never will” accept money from AIPAC.

...


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let Netanyahu pay for his own wars

[leftstreet]

1. Astounding seeing the acceleration

For some time, anti-AIPAC voices have been seen as fringe, harmful to campaigns, must not be mentioned, etc, etc, etc

But now it's like BOOM!

DURec

[dalton99a]

2. Yep, it was verboten.

[democrank]

3. K & R

[Intractable]

4. Both Schumer and Jeffries take AIPAC money.

It's a problem.

[JBTaurus83]

5. I think there are

Many voters on the right who are also not very receptive to them. They may find themselves to be very unimportant soon.

[3_Limes]

8. We can certainly hope!

I know I've had enough of them.

[Prairie Gates]

6. Kat Abughazaleh won that exchange

Then Kat Abughazaleh, a third candidate running to the left of both Mr. Biss and Ms. Fine, jumped in to attack them for what she called “the lying, the bickering over who likes AIPAC more.”

Getting to the goddamn heart of it.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. "Our campaign does not coordinate." NOT GOOD ENOUGH.