AIPAC Deploys Record $30m in Michigan Democratic Primary
A pro-Israel group’s record $30 million investment in a single Senate primary highlights the escalating cost of Democratic nominations and the party's deepening fracture over U.S.-Israel policy.
AIPAC and its affiliated groups are pouring roughly $30 million into backing Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens, marking the pro-Israel lobby’s largest-ever investment in a single race. The spending, aimed at defeating progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed ahead of the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, totals nearly $50 million when combined with other outside groups. Stevens has raised less than her opponent but benefits from a massive financial advantage on the airwaves.
Stevens’ campaign has spent about $1 million on advertising, while outside organizations have booked close to $50 million to boost her candidacy. One group, A Stronger Michigan, has spent roughly $12 million without disclosing its donors. El-Sayed, by contrast, has spent about $3.2 million from his own campaign account, supported by roughly $1 million in outside spending.
Voters watching these ads are largely unaware of their source. The spots never mention Israel or AIPAC, focusing instead on Stevens’ manufacturing record and featuring former President Barack Obama. “AIPAC never runs on AIPAC. They never even talk about Israel and Palestine,” said former Rep. Andy Levin, whom AIPAC spent millions to defeat in 2022. “If you’re just a voter and you see a million ads, you don’t know who paid for it.”
The unprecedented financial outlay reflects a frantic effort by traditional pro-Israel advocates to retain influence as the Democratic Party fractures over the war in Gaza. Stevens, who has called herself a “proud pro-Israel Democrat,” criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but stops short of conditioning aid. El-Sayed has labelled Israel’s military campaign a “genocide” and argues AIPAC’s influence directly enables the conflict.
That intra-party rift is spilling into campaign finance behavior nationwide. Earlier this week, 103 House Democrats voted against $3.3 billion in U.S. aid to Israel. Rep. Pat Ryan, who previously accepted AIPAC support, publicly broke with the group. “I expect groups like AIPAC will not support me in my future elections and frankly, I don’t want their support,” Ryan said.
El-Sayed’s campaign is attempting to frame the primary as a test of whether grassroots organizing can overpower corporate spending, claiming more than 10,000 volunteers statewide. “One of the laws of nature in politics is whoever spends the most money wins,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, campaigning for El-Sayed. “It is an opportunity to show that things other than money can win in America.” Sen. Bernie Sanders attacked Stevens more directly, calling her “nothing more than an employee of these billionaires.”
Stevens has largely declined to engage on the topic of AIPAC’s spending. When asked about the group, she pivoted to her record, stating: “Anyone who supported me is supporting me because of my dedication to the people of Michigan.” Strategists, however, suspect the massive ad buys will simply blend into the political background noise. “This doesn’t even register as an issue that’s influencing voting behavior for the overwhelming majority of primary voters,” said Michigan political strategist Adrian Hemond, noting that economic concerns still dominate.
The winner will face Republican Mike Rogers, who is unopposed in his primary, in the November general election.
