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5 things to watch in Tuesday's Illinois primaries
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5 things to watch in Tuesday's Illinois primaries

#AIPAC #Illinois primaries #JB Pritzker #progressive candidates #Democratic Party #House races #political spending #generational fights

📌 Key Takeaways

  • AIPAC faces a major test in Illinois primaries after recent backlash, spending heavily to prevent progressive 'Squad'-aligned candidates from winning.
  • Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker's involvement in primaries has created tensions with Black leaders, potentially impacting his political future.
  • Generational and ideological fights within the Democratic Party continue post-2024, influencing key races and spending.
  • High spending marks the Illinois primaries, especially in the Senate race and open House seats like the 9th district to replace Rep. Jan Schakowsky.
  • AIPAC shifted strategy late in the campaign, focusing attacks on progressive candidate Kat Abughazaleh to avoid boosting unintended opponents.

📖 Full Retelling

The Illinois primaries have seen gobs of spending, both in the highly-watched Senate race and further down the ballot in competitive open House seats. Groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have poured millions of dollars into key contests, potential 2028er and Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has found himself at odds with several prominent Black leaders in the state, and generational fights continue to plague the Democratic Party post-2024. Here’s what POLITICO is watching today. Can AIPAC avoid another fumble? AIPAC faced backlash from moderate Democrats last month after inadvertently boosting a progressive candidate in New Jersey who said Israel has committed a genocide in Gaza. It's hoping not to make the same mistake again. The group is facing a major test of its political muscle in Illinois as Democrats increasingly scrutinize Israel and AIPAC itself. It’s spending heavily in several House races, most notably in the contest to replace retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the 9th district. But Democratic strategists have warned that the group’s attacks on Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss — the grandson of a Holocaust survivor who has criticized Israel — have created a late opening for progressive insurgent Kat Abughazaleh, a Palestinian-American who’s an even more vocal critic, rather than effectively boosting the AIPAC-preferred candidate, state Sen. Laura Fine. AIPAC has made a sharp pivot in the final stretch of the campaign, turning its focus squarely on Abughazaleh instead. “There’s been a strategy shift,” said a person directly familiar with AIPAC’s thinking, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. “Our primary goal in Illinois is to prevent potential ‘Squad’ members from being elected to Congress.” The big question for Tuesday will be whether that change in strategy happened too late to avoid another embarrassment for AIPAC. Will JB’s involvement help or hurt him? Pritzker has been vocally suppo

🏷️ Themes

Political Spending, Party Divisions, Primary Elections

📚 Related People & Topics

AIPAC

AIPAC

Pro-Israel lobby group in the United States

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC AY-pak) (formerly "American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs") is a pro-Israel lobbying group that advocates its policies to the legislative and executive branches of the United States. It is one of several pro-Israel lobbying organizations in...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
JB Pritzker

JB Pritzker

Governor of Illinois since 2019

Jay Robert Pritzker (born January 19, 1965) is an American politician, lawyer, and businessman serving since 2019 as the 43rd governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Born in Palo Alto, California, Pritzker graduated from Milton Academy, Duke University, and Northwestern Univers...

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗
Democratic Party

Democratic Party

Topics referred to by the same term

Democratic Party and similar terms may refer to:

View Profile → Wikipedia ↗

Entity Intersection Graph

Connections for AIPAC:

🌐 List of Democratic Party presidential primaries 2 shared
🌐 Israel 2 shared
🌐 Illinois 1 shared
👤 Tzipi Livni 1 shared
🌐 Gaza war 1 shared
View full profile

Mentioned Entities

AIPAC

AIPAC

Pro-Israel lobby group in the United States

 JB Pritzker

JB Pritzker

Governor of Illinois since 2019

 Democratic Party

Democratic Party

Topics referred to by the same term

Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

The Illinois primaries matter because they test the political influence of major interest groups like AIPAC amid shifting Democratic Party dynamics on Israel. These elections will determine candidates for competitive House seats and could signal whether progressive challengers can gain ground against establishment-backed candidates. The outcomes will affect Illinois voters, national Democratic strategy, and the balance of power within the party heading into the 2024 general election.

Context & Background

  • AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) is a pro-Israel lobbying group that has historically supported bipartisan candidates but now faces increased scrutiny from progressive Democrats.
  • Illinois' 9th Congressional District is an open seat due to the retirement of longtime Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky, creating a competitive primary.
  • Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker is seen as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, and his involvement in primaries tests his political capital within the party.
  • The Democratic Party has faced internal divisions over Israel-Palestine policy since the 2024 election cycle, with progressive 'Squad' members often criticizing U.S. support for Israel.

What Happens Next

Results from Tuesday's primaries will determine nominees for the November general election. If AIPAC-backed candidates lose, it could weaken the group's influence in future Democratic primaries. Winners will immediately begin general election campaigns, with national attention on whether Illinois sends more progressive or moderate Democrats to Congress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AIPAC's main goal in these primaries?

AIPAC aims to prevent progressive candidates critical of Israel from winning Democratic nominations, specifically targeting potential 'Squad'-aligned candidates. The group has spent millions in key races to support moderate Democrats who align with its pro-Israel stance.

Why is the Illinois 9th District race significant?

It's an open seat with three main candidates: an AIPAC-backed moderate, a progressive critic of Israel, and another progressive. The outcome will show whether AIPAC's spending can overcome growing Democratic skepticism toward Israel policy.

How does this affect Governor Pritzker?

Pritzker's endorsements in these primaries test his influence within the Democratic Party, especially with Black leaders. As a potential 2028 presidential candidate, his success or failure here could impact his national profile.

What happens if AIPAC loses key races?

Another loss would embarrass AIPAC and signal declining influence over Democratic primaries. It could encourage more progressive challenges in 2026 and shift party dynamics on Israel policy.

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Original Source
The Illinois primaries have seen gobs of spending, both in the highly-watched Senate race and further down the ballot in competitive open House seats. Groups affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have poured millions of dollars into key contests, potential 2028er and Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has found himself at odds with several prominent Black leaders in the state, and generational fights continue to plague the Democratic Party post-2024. Here’s what POLITICO is watching today. Can AIPAC avoid another fumble? AIPAC faced backlash from moderate Democrats last month after inadvertently boosting a progressive candidate in New Jersey who said Israel has committed a genocide in Gaza. It's hoping not to make the same mistake again. The group is facing a major test of its political muscle in Illinois as Democrats increasingly scrutinize Israel and AIPAC itself. It’s spending heavily in several House races, most notably in the contest to replace retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky in the 9th district. But Democratic strategists have warned that the group’s attacks on Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss — the grandson of a Holocaust survivor who has criticized Israel — have created a late opening for progressive insurgent Kat Abughazaleh, a Palestinian-American who’s an even more vocal critic, rather than effectively boosting the AIPAC-preferred candidate, state Sen. Laura Fine. AIPAC has made a sharp pivot in the final stretch of the campaign, turning its focus squarely on Abughazaleh instead. “There’s been a strategy shift,” said a person directly familiar with AIPAC’s thinking, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. “Our primary goal in Illinois is to prevent potential ‘Squad’ members from being elected to Congress.” The big question for Tuesday will be whether that change in strategy happened too late to avoid another embarrassment for AIPAC. Will JB’s involvement help or hurt him? Pritzker has been vocally suppo
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