Outside groups tied to the pro-Israel organization AIPAC have spent millions on advertising and voter outreach in multiple Illinois Democratic House primaries, including the crowded contest to succeed retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky. The spending—often routed through newly created super PACs with neutral-sounding names—has intensified intraparty arguments over Israel and the role of big money in Democratic primaries.
In several Chicago-area Democratic House primaries held on March 17, 2026, outside money surged into races that are expected to be decisive in the heavily Democratic districts.
AIPAC—through its aligned political operation, including the United Democracy Project—has been linked by multiple outlets to spending routed through super PACs with names that do not disclose their backers, including Elect Chicago Women and other Illinois-focused committees. (axios.com)
One focal point has been the Democratic primary in Illinois’ 9th Congressional District, an open-seat race created after Rep. Jan Schakowsky said she would not seek reelection in 2026. (apnews.com) Candidates in that contest have included Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss and state Sen. Laura Fine, and outside advertising has targeted and boosted various contenders as the field competed for a seat long held by a prominent progressive Democrat. (apnews.com)
Several candidates and critics have argued the pro-Israel groups are trying to influence races while keeping Israel largely out of the ads themselves. The Washington Post reported that campaigns have pointed to operational overlaps—such as vendors used by AIPAC-aligned entities—to argue that nominally local PACs are effectively part of a broader national effort. (washingtonpost.com)
The Illinois spending has drawn extra attention after a recent, widely covered New Jersey special-election Democratic primary in which Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer, ultimately prevailed over former Rep. Tom Malinowski. Coverage of that race described heavy outside spending by AIPAC-aligned groups attacking Malinowski, and Malinowski later blamed that spending for shaping the outcome. (apnews.com)
More broadly, the Illinois primaries unfolded amid shifting Democratic public opinion on the Israel-Gaza war and U.S. policy toward Israel. Multiple national surveys in recent years have found rising shares of Democrats saying the United States is too supportive of Israel, though the exact percentages vary by poll and question wording. (washingtonpost.com)
AIPAC has said publicly that it supports the U.S.-Israel relationship and expects to be involved in numerous races during the 2026 cycle, while some candidates and allied groups argue that the spending is fueling backlash among Democratic primary voters who dislike super PAC influence. (washingtonpost.com)
