AIPAC celebrate decisive role in getting pro-Israel Democrat candidates elected
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has been celebrating pro-Israel Democratic primary victories during this election cycle, according to recent interviews.
Through their PACs, super PACs, and affiliated PACs, they have been successful in helping with a number of Democratic primary wins in the majority of the races they've supported.
"It has become crystal clear that being anti-Israel will have a negative effect on a candidacy," Patrick Dorton, a spokesman for the United Democracy Project, a super PAC founded by AIPAC in December, said in an interview last week, reported by the Jewish Telegraph Agency.
Marylin Rosenthal said in a joint interview reported by Jewish Insider that pro-Israel candidates "have raised great deals of dollars from AIPAC members because of their support for Israel".
This election strategy might sound like old news, given AIPAC's long-time involvement in politics. However, this is the first election cycle in which they have funded campaigns through PACs they have established, allowing them to put millions of dollars toward each of their preferred candidates.
Moreover, their high success rate has shown that there's a chance it can be replicated.
This strategy, however, has possibly come at a reputational cost to AIPAC, with a growing number of Democrats questioning why a group that claims to be bipartisan has targeted progressive Democrats, largely helped by donations from Republican mega-donors.
For now, AIPAC is celebrating what has been an arguably successful run.
"We've achieved some extraordinary results in a very short period of time," UDP Rob Bassin said in an interview reported by Jewish Insider.
The PAC, he said, "is allowing us to clearly define who is and who is not pro-Israel. And that is the objective, essentially, of what we're trying to achieve".
He also suggested that AIPAC might be open to the possibility of getting involved in more races during this election cycle.