CHICAGO — Newly disclosed federal campaign finance reports have revealed that a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee funneled millions of dollars into two lesser-known groups that poured more than $14 million into Democratic primaries in Illinois, intensifying the party's internal debates over U.S. policy toward Israel. The disclosures, filed on Friday, show that United Democracy Project, or UDP, which receives substantial funding from AIPAC, contributed $5.3 million to Elect Chicago Women and Affordable Chicago Now!, groups that had operated with relative anonymity during the March 19 primaries for several Chicago-area congressional districts.
UDP's involvement in these groups marks a significant escalation in the use of layered spending to influence elections, according to election watchdogs and political analysts. The three super PACs together — including UDP's direct $5 million expenditure to support Chicago Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin in the 7th Congressional District — accounted for 60% of all outside spending in Illinois House Democratic primaries this cycle. Conyears-Ervin's bid fell short, as state Rep. La Shawn Ford narrowly defeated her in that race.
The funding ties were not publicly confirmed until after voters had cast their ballots, despite earlier accusations from progressive activists that pro-Israel groups were pulling strings behind the scenes. "UDP was happy to support these local committees, along with Chicago donors, to make sure pro-Israel voices would have their voices heard," Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for UDP, told reporters on Friday. He emphasized that the group employs "a number of different tools to engage in races this cycle," adding that AIPAC's ultimate goal is to secure "the largest, bipartisan pro-Israel majority in Congress."
Dorton pointed to the outcomes as a partial success, noting that "by any measure the Chicago delegation is more pro-Israel today than it was before the primary election." Indeed, the pro-Israel backed candidates emerged victorious in two contests: former Rep. Melissa Bean won a crowded primary in the 10th District, and Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller prevailed in the 6th. Both districts featured fields with progressive challengers who had voiced sharper criticisms of Israel's policies, particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
However, the effort faltered in two other high-stakes races. In the 9th District, covering parts of Evanston and Chicago's North Side, state Sen. Daniel Biss secured a decisive win after weathering millions in opposition spending. Elect Chicago Women, one of the seeded groups, spent more than $5 million in that contest, initially boosting state Sen. Laura Fine before shifting to attacks on Biss, who is Jewish and describes himself as a "progressive Zionist." Biss has been vocal in critiquing the Israeli government's actions, calling for a more nuanced U.S. approach.
In his victory speech on Tuesday night, Biss directly addressed the influx of outside money, declaring, "AIPAC found out the hard way: The 9th District is not for sale." He argued that his campaign resonated by grasping the "nuance and complexity" of Israel-related issues, resisting pressure from national lobbying groups. The race drew national attention as a flashpoint for Democratic divisions, with progressives framing it as a test of party priorities amid shifting public opinion.
Recent NBC News polling underscores this trend: two-thirds of Democrats now express greater sympathy for Palestinians over Israelis, and a majority hold a negative view of Israel overall. This represents a dramatic slide in Israel's standing among the party's base in recent years, fueling criticism of AIPAC's tactics in primaries nationwide. Usamah Andrabi, communications director for the progressive Justice Democrats, celebrated Biss's win and Ford's upset as a "repudiation of AIPAC’s tactics and views."
Andrabi highlighted the opacity of the spending, stating, "If ‘being pro-Israel was good politics or policy’, like AIPAC says, they wouldn’t have to completely avoid mentioning Israel in $21 million of ads and using shell PACs to hide their spending." Justice Democrats and allied groups had mobilized against what they saw as undue influence from pro-Israel donors, many of whom had previously given to UDP.
Dorton countered the progressive narrative, observing that "no candidate who made AIPAC or Israel a centerpiece of their campaign won in Chicago, with the exception of Biss." He described Biss as acceptable despite earlier opposition, saying, "Obviously we have our differences with Daniel Biss but at least he’s a Zionist — and he’s far better than Kat Abughazaleh." Abughazaleh, a surging progressive in the 9th District race, had labeled Israel's Gaza operations as "genocide," drawing fire from pro-Israel forces.
In a bid to counter her momentum, another group, Chicago Progressive Partnership, entered the fray late, attempting to undermine Abughazaleh while boosting Bushra Amiwala, another vocal Israel critic who used similar language. This move appeared aimed at splitting the progressive vote, though Amiwala also trailed. As of late Friday, Chicago Progressive Partnership had not yet filed its February campaign finance report, leaving some details of its funding unclear.
The Illinois primaries are part of a broader national reckoning within the Democratic Party over Israel, exacerbated by the war in Gaza that began in October 2023. Prominent figures are increasingly distancing themselves from AIPAC. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, during a recent appearance on the "Crooked Media" podcast, suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership might necessitate rethinking U.S. military aid, stating it was "walking us down that path where I don’t think you have a choice."
Closer to home, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who is Jewish, told The Associated Press this week that he views AIPAC as "an organization that was supporting Donald Trump," adding, "AIPAC really is not an organization that I think today I would want any part of." Pritzker's comments reflect growing unease among moderate Democrats with AIPAC's strategy, which has included backing Republicans in some races.
Jim Kessler, executive vice president for policy at Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank, described a recent special election in New Jersey as a "watershed moment." In that June contest for the 12th District, UDP targeted former Rep. Tom Malinowski for proposing conditions on aid to Israel, helping progressive Analilia Mejia win the Democratic nomination. Mejia is far more critical of Israel than Malinowski.
"There’s this rift that’s been growing for a while, but what happens when there’s one election on one day... this New Jersey race was a real, crystalizing moment that their influence is unhelpful," Kessler told NBC News. He warned that AIPAC risks "maneuvering themselves out of the Democratic Party" by aligning with the pro-Trump Netanyahu government, adding, "The existence of Israel, the safety of the Jewish people, is not helped when the main lobbying group for the country is seen as against one party."
Dorton dismissed such critiques broadly, asserting that UDP represents "millions of pro-Israel Democrats" and remains "undeterred." He vowed to "continue to use all the tools at our disposal to make sure a pro-Israel Democratic voice is represented." As primary season progresses toward the 2026 midterms, the mixed results in Illinois have energized both pro-Israel advocates and their opponents, with similar battles expected in districts from New York to California.
The revelations about the funding come at a time when transparency in political spending is under heightened scrutiny, particularly in races touching on foreign policy. While UDP's Dorton framed the efforts as essential for bipartisan support of Israel, critics like Andrabi and Kessler argue it sows division within the party. With Democrats controlling the House by a slim margin, these internal fights could shape the composition of the next Congress and U.S. policy in the Middle East.