AIPAC didn't always spend on campaigns. Now it faces criticism over money in politics

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee has been getting a lot of attention this election cycle, with some Democratic candidates proudly declaring they've sworn off contributions from the group. In Michigan's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate this month, Abdul El-Sayed lambasted his opponent, Rep.

Haley Stevens, for receiving AIPAC support. El-Sayed's victory was emblematic of the increasing influence of the Democratic left and the rising animus toward both the pro-Israel group and money in politics more broadly. AIPAC's focus is on strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance.

Founded in the early 1950s, it worked for decades to maintain strong bipartisan relationships in Congress and push for policies that benefit the two countries' partnership. "They always had a couple of basic rules. Number one, they did not endorse candidates," said Ken Toltz, a longtime gun violence prevention activist who began his political career at AIPAC several decades ago.

Ahead of the 2022 election cycle, AIPAC's status quo transformed when it created a political action committee and super PAC — a massive sea change. Its longtime chief executive at the time, Howard Kohr, credited the new foray to a burgeoning political era marked by hyperpartisanship, the groundswell of a vocal anti-Israel minority and the increasing cost of campaigns. AIPAC did not respond to a request for comment, but in a 2022 interview with The Washington Post, Kohr explained the strategy shift by saying, "We wanted to defend our friends, and to send a message to detractors that there's a group of individuals that will oppose them." "I think before the '22 election cycle, you could ask a thousand people, 'What is AIPAC?' — and you wouldn't find more than one in a thousand who had any familiarity with it," said Toltz.

"Today, that's completely shifted. The awareness of AIPAC is much, much greater, although the understanding of who AIPAC is and what it does is very mixed." Criticism of AIPAC has increased as support for Israel has eroded among Democrats as a result of the war in Gaza and the ongoing Iran war. "Things started going south for them because of the extent of devastation in the Gaza war and public opinion turning against Israel," said Ron Kampeas, the former Washington bureau chief for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 60% of U.S. adults have an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% last year. For the first time since Gallup started asking the question more than 20 years ago, more Americans in February said their sympathies in the Middle East lay more with Palestinians than Israelis, by a 41% to 36% margin. In July, over 100 House Democrats voted to cut aid to Israel.