{"id":2606804,"date":"2026-05-26T05:32:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T09:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aipac-spends-to-the-dread-of-democrats-and-republican-detractors\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T05:36:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T09:36:20","slug":"aipac-spends-to-the-dread-of-democrats-and-republican-detractors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/aipac-spends-to-the-dread-of-democrats-and-republican-detractors\/","title":{"rendered":"AIPAC spends to the dread of Democrats and Republican detractors"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Faipac-spends-to-the-dread-of-democrats-and-republican-detractors%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2606804&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has long presented itself as a bipartisan, single-issue group focused on sustaining U.S. support for Israel irrespective of party.However, it has increasingly used <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >newly formed political spending arms<\/a> in ways that many observers-especially critics within the Democratic Party-say benefit Israel-friendly Republicans and pressure Democrats who are skeptical of Israel\u2019s government or policies.<\/p>\n<p>AIPAC\u2019s approach has been tied to broader U.S. political polarization over Israel, which intensified after the conflict in Gaza. Over multiple election cycles,AIPAC spending has leaned more toward GOP candidates and centrist Democrats,and it has ramped up direct political involvement after launching its own federal PACs in 2021,turning it into one of the largest spenders in congressional elections.<\/p>\n<p>Examples highlighted include heavy advertising aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-canceled-their-florida-primary-to-help-biden-it-backfired-and-helped-republicans-flip-local-seats\/\" title=\"The decision by ... to cancel the Florida primary in ... of Biden ended up benefiting ..., leading to the flipping of local seats\">defeating democratic incumbents<\/a> such as Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, while AIPAC also spends to support or oppose candidates through its super PAC.This shift has made AIPAC a contentious topic inside the Democratic coalition: in primaries, candidates may fear that even association with AIPAC could hurt them, leading to \u201ctoxic\u201d campaign messaging and public efforts by some Democratic hopefuls to distance themselves from the group or refuse its money.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously occurring, Republicans are portrayed as more uniformly pro-Israel than before, and AIPAC\u2019s influence is increasingly connected to major Democratic internal debates and even future presidential planning, with some contenders publicly pledging not to accept AIPAC funding.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/AIPAC\/\">American Israel Public Affairs Committee<\/a>, arguably the most influential pro-<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Israel\/\">Israel <\/a>lobbying group in the country, has long treated support for the Jewish state as an issue that rises above partisan politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a single-issue organization, AIPAC maintains it is party agnostic, especially when it comes to political spending. But in recent years, AIPAC\u2019s relatively new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/amid-threats-of-corporate-donation-withdrawals-gop-senate-fund-hauls-in-8-3-million\/\" title=\"Amid Threats Of Corporate Donation Withdrawals, GOP Senate Fund Hauls In .3 Million\">political action committees<\/a> have poured unprecedented sums into races seeming, to some outside observers, to support primarily Israel-friendly Republican candidates while targeting Democrats critical of Israel.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4580236\/irs-rogue-agent-aggressive-tax-investigations\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>IRS could soon fire outspoken \u2018rogue\u2019 agent behind aggressive tax investigations<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4578089\/feeding-our-future-ringleader-aimee-bock-sentenced-41-years\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Feeding Our Future ringleader Aimee Bock sentenced to 41 years in federal prison<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4577675\/feeding-our-future-mastermind-somali-accomplices\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Feeding Our Future mastermind says Somali accomplices scammed her<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its recipient pool, however, is not exclusively Republican, nor are AIPAC\u2019s targets strictly Democrats.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC says it works to elect pro-Israel voices from both sides of the political aisle and defeat any detractors of the U.S.-Israeli partnership. That dynamic was on display in Tuesday\u2019s AIPAC-backed primary defeat of Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/thomas-massie\/\">Thomas Massie<\/a> (R-KY), a staunch noninterventionist\u00a0and frequent critic of U.S. foreign aid to Israel. AIPAC put almost <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/05\/17\/massie-aipac-record-spending-israel-maga-trump-primary-00925375\">$5 million<\/a> behind ad buys slamming Massie for voting \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/clerk.house.gov\/Votes\/2023528\">again<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/clerk.house.gov\/Votes\/2024141\">again<\/a>\u201d against House resolutions to stand in solidarity with Israel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4558355\/massie-kentucky-house-primary-israel-spending\/\"><strong>MASSIE SAYS HE \u2018MAY LOSE\u2019 PRIMARY DUE TO RIVAL\u2019S PRO-ISRAEL CASH ADVANTAGE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other end, AIPAC\u2019s super PAC, the United Democracy Project, is pumping millions of advertising dollars into competitive Democratic contests to edge out progressives seen as hostile to Israel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The organization\u2019s spending trend has drawn criticism from some Democrats accusing AIPAC of working on behalf of the Republican Party.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather, this perceived rightward shift in AIPAC\u2019s spending priorities reflects a broader polarization nationally over U.S.-Israeli relations, as the conflict in Gaza caused a deep schism along partisan lines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mirroring that divide, AIPAC over the past three election cycles has gravitated toward GOP candidates, who tend to support Israel due to shared Judeo-Christian beliefs or geopolitical interests, as well as centrist Democrats willing to align on policy positions concerning Israel.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-bipartisan-brand-of-pro-israel-advocacy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A bipartisan brand of pro-Israel advocacy<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC\u2019s core mission, historically, was to secure congressional support for Israel regardless of which party held power.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAIPAC has been around for decades, and we are a bipartisan organization still today,\u201d AIPAC spokeswoman Deryn Sousa told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cOur No. 1 focus politically is on fighting for the most pro-Israel bipartisan Congress possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since its founding in the 1950s, AIPAC cultivated an image of being a bipartisan power broker in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Washington-DC\/\">Washington, D.C.<\/a> Democrats and Republicans alike attended AIPAC\u2019s conferences, courted its donors, and largely saw support for Israel as a near-consensus issue.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) speaks at the 2017 American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference, Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington. (AP Photo\/Jose Luis Magana, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC and other organizations part of the pro-Israel lobby popularized U.S. support for Israel at the time by positioning Israel as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/info.publicintelligence.net\/AIPAC.pdf\">a critical democratic ally<\/a> during the Cold War, arguing that the new nation would be <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commentary.org\/articles\/michael-mandelbaum\/israel-lobby-historical-primer\/\">a Western-allied stronghold<\/a> against Soviet expansion in the Middle East. This narrative appealed to many U.S. lawmakers irrespective of party affiliation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the early 2000s, AIPAC\u2019s bipartisan framework held strong. After the 2001 terrorist attacks and throughout former President George W. Bush\u2019s administrations, support for Israel remained politically mainstream across both parties.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democratic leaders, such as then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tv7israelnews.com\/pelosi-us-support-for-israel-ironclad\/\">stood alongside<\/a> Republicans in affirming the U.S.-Israel alliance. In fact, the first <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/sgp.fas.org\/crs\/mideast\/RL33222.pdf\">10-year memorandum of understanding<\/a> on U.S. security assistance to Israel was signed by President Bill Clinton, and the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/the-press-office\/2016\/09\/14\/fact-sheet-memorandum-understanding-reached-israel\/\">most recent one<\/a> by Barack Obama.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC itself avoided operating a centralized political action committee, opting to coordinate patchworks of donors and allied organizations behind the scenes. The approach worked because Israel was not yet a defining partisan wedge in American politics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3803235\/war-israel-gaza-aipac-backed-house-democrats-reject-2026-cash\/\">GAZA CONFLICT DRIVES SOME AIPAC-BACKED DEMOCRATS TO REJECT 2026 CASH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, cracks in the coalition began appearing during the presidency of Obama, whose <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninstitute.org\/policy-analysis\/obama-and-netanyahu-cant-afford-disagree\">tensions<\/a> with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, especially over the Iran nuclear deal, exposed a growing fissure in America between pro-Israel hard-liners and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/mei.edu\/publication\/source-netanyahus-opposition-jcpoa\/\">skeptics<\/a> of the Israeli government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Diametrically opposed movements also formed between Americans who believe in Israelis\u2019 right to their ancestral homeland and activists seeking Palestinian statehood. Conservatives increasingly framed support for Israel in ideological and religious terms, while scores of young progressives adopted Palestinian sovereignty as a cause.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-aipac-establishes-pacs-after-more-than-60-years-of-operations\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">AIPAC establishes PACs after more than 60 years of operations<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Amid this wave of activism, in December 2021, AIPAC, which up until this point refrained from operating its own federal PAC, established both <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aipacpac.org\">a traditional PAC<\/a> and the super PAC known as the United Democracy Project. The move transformed AIPAC from a sole lobbying organization into one of the largest direct spenders in congressional elections.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC, before 2021, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/news\/2019\/02\/aipac-dont-contribute-which-pro-israel-groups-do\/\">never directly contributed<\/a> to individual candidates in its 60-plus years of existence as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. It went on to rally behind <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AIPAC\/status\/1627394909807448064\">a whopping 365 candidates<\/a>, Democrats and Republicans, the following year, with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/committee\/C00797670\/?cycle=2022&#038;tab=spending\">more than $17 million<\/a> dispensed in direct support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC-affiliated entities spent strategically during the 2024 elections, noticeably concentrating their expenditures in Democratic primaries against anti-Israel progressives, particularly incumbent Reps. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Jamaal-Bowman\/\">Jamaal Bowman<\/a> (D-NY) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Cori-Bush\/\">Cori Bush<\/a> (D-MO), both high-profile critics of Israel\u2019s military actions, which were launched in response to the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/4515233\/everyone-knows-what-democrats-aipac-obsession-really-about\/\"><strong>EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT THE DEMOCRATS\u2019 AIPAC OBSESSION IS REALLY ABOUT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That cycle, AIPAC\u2019s United Democracy Project dedicated $9.9 million and $5.2 million, respectively, to efforts <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2024&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00799031&#038;cycle=2024&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true&#038;candidate_id=H0NY16143&#038;candidate_id=H8MO01143\">opposing<\/a> Bowman\u2019s and Bush\u2019s reelection, in addition to $4.7 million and $3.4 million spent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2024&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00799031&#038;cycle=2024&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true&#038;candidate_id=H4MO01134&#038;candidate_id=H4NY16087\">supporting<\/a> their primary challengers, little-known Westchester County Executive George Latimer and St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell. Bowman and Bush were unseated, their losses widely attributed to AIPAC\u2019s spending might.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC\u2019s strategy of spending heavily in these Democratic races in order to oust officeholders opposed to Israel accelerated its identification with the Republican Party, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2024\/06\/09\/aipac-republican-donors-democratic-primaries-00162404\">appearing to help the GOP<\/a> defeat rising stars on the political Left and boost more moderate picks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simultaneously, the Republican base itself became more uniformly pro-Israel than ever before. Republicans under President Donald Trump embraced policies long championed by Israeli leadership: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov\/briefings-statements\/president-donald-j-trump-keeps-promise-open-u-s-embassy-jerusalem-israel\/\">moving<\/a> the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov\/presidential-actions\/proclamation-recognizing-golan-heights-part-state-israel\/\">recognizing<\/a> Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and rejecting pressure regarding the West Bank settlements.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside the Democratic Party, opposition to Israel grew. As younger Democratic voters and left-leaning Jewish Americans demanded that party officials show support for Palestinians and speak out against Israel, some candidates started openly distancing themselves from AIPAC, despite many of them previously accepting AIPAC money.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, Republicans have remained overwhelmingly supportive of Israel, while Democratic support became conditional and fractured. AIPAC continued to endorse and finance certain Democratic campaigns, but those Democrats, for the most part, comprised the party\u2019s centrist wing. Meanwhile, anti-AIPAC organizing became a badge of honor for some progressive hopefuls.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-democrats-today-spar-over-aipac-ties\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Democrats today spar over AIPAC ties<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, AIPAC is a polarizing force within the Democratic Party. Once celebrated as a bipartisan bridge between the two parties, AIPAC now sits at the center of one of the Democratic Party\u2019s fiercest internal fights. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC has become a taboo subject in Democratic circles, shaping several critical battles for the party\u2019s nomination ahead of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">2026 midterm elections<\/a>. Insiders say even <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/2026\/05\/20\/aipac-can-tank-candidate-even-when-it-spends-nothing\/\">mere association with the organization<\/a> may hurt a candidate in the primaries. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2026\/05\/19\/democrats-in-michigan-senate-race-spar-over-aipac-israel-and-support\/90059997007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=true&#038;gca-epti=z11xx31p118050l115750c118050e1102xxv11xx31d--49--b--49--&#038;gca-ft=99&#038;gca-ds=sophi\">Michigan<\/a>, Democrats vying for the state\u2019s open Senate seats are tiptoeing around the topic of AIPAC, considering it a \u201ctoxic\u201d buzzword that could tank a contender\u2019s chances.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/nytimes.com\/2026\/03\/05\/us\/politics\/aipac-illinois-primaries.html\">Illinois<\/a>, during the televised Democratic debate for Chicago\u2019s congressional district, Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss claimed that Illinois state Sen. Laura Fine was \u201cbankrolled by AIPAC and MAGA donors.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A third candidate, self-described democratic socialist Kat Abughazaleh, jumped in to attack the dueling Jewish candidates for what she called \u201cbickering over who likes AIPAC more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Biss eventually won the Democratic primary with 29.4% of the vote, and Abughazaleh finished behind him with a close 26.3%. Fine received only 20% out of the crowded 15-candidate field.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AIPAC\u2019s influence is also looming over Democrats\u2019 White House aspirations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4477246\/aipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-iran-strikes\/\"><strong>AIPAC-FUNDED DEMOCRATIC LEADERS BUCK ISRAEL ON IRAN STRIKES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/03\/24\/2028-democrats-reject-aipac-00841350\">Asked by <em>Politico<\/em><\/a>  about accepting funding from AIPAC, several Democrats eyeing 2028 presidential runs pledged not to take the group\u2019s money, including some, such as Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who had received donations <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&#038;committee_id=C00540500&#038;contributor_name=C00797670\">as recently as December<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) declared on camera he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JDCocchiarella\/status\/1998062162678612300?s=20\">never has<\/a> and \u201c<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/adammocklerr\/status\/2025603620419297328?s=20\">never will<\/a>\u201d take donations from the group, and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) swore off support, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/blogs\/politico-press\/2026\/03\/20\/full-transcript-sen-ruben-gallego-d-ariz-on-the-conversation-with-dasha-burns-00837474\">vowing<\/a> in March he would <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/receipts\/?data_type=processed&#038;committee_id=C00558627&#038;contributor_name=C00797670\">no longer<\/a> take AIPAC cash.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AIPAC, a major pro-Israel lobby, has long claimed its support for Israel is above party politics, insisting it is nonpartisan in spending-though recent years show far closer alignment with certain candidates<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2606805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25211554361119.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33006,36285,80261,39978,36330],"class_list":["post-2606804","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-aipac","tag-campaign-influence","tag-democratic-criticism","tag-political-spending","tag-u-s-elections"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25211554361119.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606804","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2606804"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606804\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2606808,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606804\/revisions\/2606808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2606805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2606804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2606804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2606804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}