The American Israel Public Affairs Committee told its members Wednesday that the group will take a step back from directly endorsing and earmarking funds for candidates through its traditional political action committee, while leaving the group’s larger super PAC spending operation intact.
The group’s mission — boosting candidates who champion the U.S.-Israel partnership — has turned politically sour across the political aisle: Many have faced scrutiny for accepting AIPAC money, and some even rejected or returned contributions from the committee. AIPAC has spent more than $91 million this year between AIPAC PAC, the organization’s traditional committee, and United Democracy Project, the group’s super PAC.
AIPAC notified its members about the change in a letter, first reported by Jewish Insider, after a monthslong period of strategic review.
“We will prioritize increasing direct, organized contributions from individual Americans to candidates — expanding upon our current efforts — and maximizing the emerging political fundraising tools,” the letter, written by AIPAC’s board of directors, says. “Endorsements, direct PAC contributions, and earmarking will no longer be part of our approach so we can expand individual giving and utilize new tools to help our friends win.”
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Bernie Kaminetsky, AIPAC’s president, and several other organization leaders signed onto the correspondence sent out to the group’s members Wednesday.
The organization has been financially active on behalf of political candidates for three congressional cycles. AIPAC PAC, which can donate up to $5,000 to a candidate under Federal Election Commission rules, will no longer make direct contributions. The group will continue to use its United Democracy Project super PAC, which can accept unlimited donations and contribute unlimited amounts to campaigns, in future elections.
“We’ve seen a surge of new fundraising strategies that have changed how candidates raise and utilize resources,” AIPAC’s leaders wrote in the letter. “These new models were inconceivable five years ago when we launched the AIPAC PAC and present significant opportunities for our community to help pro-Israel candidates win their races.”
The committee’s members donated more than $90 million directly to candidates this midterm cycle, AIPAC spokesperson Deryn Sousa wrote in a statement to The Washington Sun, adding that the “organized, direct giving from our members will continue and increase.”
“Our mission and strategy remain the same,” Sousa said. “Our goal is to build support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.”
Sousa told The Sun that the AIPAC community is “looking to dramatically expand” its political involvement and described the United Democracy Project as “one of the most important tools that AIPAC members use and will continue to use to help defeat anti-Israel candidates.”
Democrats’ opinions on Israel’s actions in Palestinian territory soured in a transformational way for the party this year: Many left-leaning progressives, particularly Democratic Socialist of America-backed candidates who often strongly reject U.S. military aid to Israel, used their opponents’ connections to AIPAC as an attack strategy on the campaign trail and to stand out during primary season.
The letter acknowledged that AIPAC helped “290 pro-Israel candidates win their elections and helped defeat 29 detractors” this campaign cycle “in one of the most challenging environments in recent memory.”
AIPAC sent a last-minute $9 million donation to Republican Mike Rogers in his competitive race against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed for Senate in Michigan, The New York Times reported Wednesday. Rogers had initially been hesitant to tie himself to AIPAC this campaign cycle, but the committee’s support contrasts with El-Sayed’s criticism of the U.S. government’s continued financial and military backing of Israel.
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