AIPAC‑Linked PACs Attack Illinois Progressives From Left in Costly Primary Ads

Axios reports that AIPAC‑aligned political groups are spending millions in Illinois Democratic congressional primaries to undermine progressive, often pro‑Palestinian candidates by questioning their left‑wing credentials rather than attacking their positions on Israel. Chicago Progressive Partnership, which shares vendors, donors and a treasurer with other AIPAC‑linked PACs, has gone on air ahead of the March 17 primaries with ads hitting IL‑8 candidate Junaid Ahmed over his personal wealth, a disclosed Tesla investment tying him to Elon Musk, and past consulting work for fossil‑fuel firms, and is running separate spots in IL‑9 accusing Palestinian‑American progressive Kat Abughazaleh of taking "right‑wing" money and highlighting Republican views she expressed in high school. Another AIPAC‑linked group, Elect Chicago Women, has already spent about $3.2 million boosting former Rep. Melissa Bean in IL‑8 and roughly $4.6 million backing state Sen. Laura Fine and attacking liberal Zionist Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss in IL‑9, while AIPAC’s national arm United Democracy Project previously spent nearly $2 million in New Jersey’s 11th District hammering Tom Malinowski over past pro‑ICE votes without mentioning Israel. Ahmed and Abughazaleh denounce the attacks as dishonest and tied to "MAGA‑aligned" interests, arguing they show AIPAC’s willingness to use any message that will peel away progressive voters in safe blue seats where Democratic primaries effectively decide the next member of Congress. The pattern points to a broader, high‑dollar effort by pro‑Israel forces to shape the ideological boundaries of the Democratic caucus using message testing and opaque PAC structures instead of direct argument over U.S. policy toward Israel and Gaza.