Rep. Bill Foster,<\/u> an Illinois Democrat, agreed to three debates in his primary election race against Qasim Rashid, an insurgent progressive. Foster later dropped out of the other two debates, citing conflicting events. The first and only time Foster appeared alongside Rashid, the decadelong incumbent left halfway through the candidate forum, claiming he had another obligation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rashid said Foster is reluctant to defend his own record. Among other issues, the incumbent had criticized Israel\u2019s war against Palestinians in Gaza but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire. Protesters were at the forum to express their displeasure with Foster and Rep. Sean Casten, a Democrat from a neighboring district, who also attended, for refusing to call for a ceasefire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFundamentally, they realize that he wants them to vote for a record that even he isn\u2019t willing to defend.\u201d<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\u201cVoters are upset,\u201d Rashid told The Intercept, said of Foster\u2019s refusal to debate. \u201cFundamentally, they realize that he wants them to vote for a record that even he isn\u2019t willing to defend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The March 19 Democratic primary in the suburbs and rural towns northwest of Chicago could become another congressional race where Israel plays an outsized role. Rashid is running on a broader progressive platform \u2014 hitting Foster for being out of touch with Democrats in the district and his acceptance of money from corporate PACs, fossil fuel companies, and the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries \u2014 but the ceasefire debate looms large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Observers anticipate that Israel issues will attract outside money from lobbying groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that are preparing to spend record amounts<\/a> to defend Democrats that toe their line. And Foster had already amassed support from pro-Israel donors: One of his top contributors this cycle is the private equality group Apollo Global Management, whose CEO Marc Rowan helped orchestrate the ousting<\/a> of the president and board chair at the University of Pennsylvania over Israel\u2019s war on Gaza. (Foster\u2019s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Pro-Israel groups have worked to oust other Democrats in Illinois who opposed unconditional U.S. military support for Israel, including Rep. Delia Ramirez<\/a> and former Rep. Marie Newman<\/a>. AIPAC joined conservative Democrats to defeat Newman\u2019s 2018 congressional campaign<\/a>. Newman won election in 2020 but become a target of pro-Israel groups<\/a> again last cycle and lost her reelection campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Newman, who is supporting Rashid\u2019s campaign, told The Intercept that the threat of spending<\/a> from groups like AIPAC and its ally, <\/a>Democratic Majority for Israel<\/a>, is scaring incumbents into submission and deepening schisms within the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the last 3 months I\u2019ve talked to several MOCs\u201d \u2014 members of Congress \u2014 \u201cwho live in absolute fear of AIPAC and DMFI working against them or primarying them,\u201d Newman said by text. \u201c<\/em><\/strong>More than anything else I\u2019m deeply concerned about how AIPAC, Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) and their 20 affiliate PACs are putting a huge wedge in the Democratic Party, particularly in the House.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AIPAC Waiting in the Wings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For decades, AIPAC played<\/a> an influential role in Middle Eastern policy by sending its legions to lobby members of Congress in their offices and only organizing campaign donations informally among members. In recent years, however, the group transformed its spending on congressional elections with the launch of a new super PAC<\/a> in the last election cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The direct influence on money in politics has exacerbated partisan rifts<\/a> that have emerged<\/a> around Israel and AIPAC. Democratic voters, for their part, are shifting away from AIPAC\u2019s uncompromising positions on the Israeli\u2013Palestinian conflict \u2014 especially as a majority of Americans came to support<\/a> the ceasefire that AIPAC opposes.<\/p>\n\n\n