AIPAC Ends Candidate Endorsements and Direct PAC Contributions

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee announced Wednesday that it will no longer endorse political candidates, make direct PAC contributions, or earmark donations for specific candidates. The strategic reversal, approved by the organization's Board of Directors, comes as AIPAC support has become a political liability in Democratic primaries during the war in Gaza.

Recent polling shows unfavorable views of Israel among Democrats rose from 53% in 2022 to 80% this year. The shift follows a cycle where the group deployed approximately $105.1 million, including a $30 million effort in a Michigan Democratic Senate primary that ended in a defeat for its preferred candidate.

While ending direct support, the group will continue to operate the United Democracy Project, a super PAC that allows for unlimited independent political spending. The organization intends to pivot toward mobilizing individual donors to give directly to candidates to increase the impact of its activists.