AIPAC suffers setbacks in US midterms as anti-Israel candidates win

AIPAC lost influence in the 2026 US midterms as candidates critical of US-Israel ties won, including Abdul El-Sayed becoming Michigan's first Muslim senator. AIPAC-affiliated groups spent tens of millions but failed to defeat him.

The article discusses the decline of AIPAC's (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) influence in American politics, as support for Israel becomes an electoral burden in many races. It notes the victory of Democrat Abdul Rahman al-Sayed (known as 'Aboudel') in the Senate election in Michigan, making him the first Muslim senator in history, after defeating candidates backed by AIPAC in the primaries and general election. The article mentions that tens of millions of dollars spent by the 'United Democracy Project' group linked to AIPAC did not prevent his victory, but rather helped boost his rhetoric. In his victory speech, al-Sayed addressed AIPAC saying: 'Thank you for giving me the opportunity to defeat you twice.' The article adds that Republican opponent Mike Rogers asked his supporters not to associate him with AIPAC, reflecting changing dynamics against the backdrop of the genocide in Gaza and the cost of the war with Iran.