# Israel lobby AIPAC reeling after midterm defeats > Pro-Israel candidates backed by AIPAC lost key races as voter support for Israel plummets over Gaza deaths and Iran war costs. - Title: Israel lobby AIPAC reeling after midterm defeats · Dawn - Summary: Pro-Israel candidates backed by AIPAC lost key races as voter support for Israel plummets over Gaza deaths and Iran war costs. - Keywords: aipac, 2026 midterm elections, abdul el-sayed, james talarico, israel support, pro-israel lobbying, gaza, iran war, benjamin netanyahu, alexandria ocasio-cortez, donald trump, jd vance - Source: Dawn — https://dawn.com/news/2043963/us-midterms-put-pro-israel-aipac-on-defensive - Author: AFP - Published: 2026-11-12T01:47:56+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: aipac, 2026 midterm elections, abdul el-sayed, james talarico, israel support, pro-israel lobbying, gaza, iran war, benjamin netanyahu, alexandria ocasio-cortez, donald trump, jd vance ## AIPAC's political dominance crumbles The pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC was once a US political juggernaut, but deepening voter disillusion over US-Israeli ties and wins by openly Israel-sceptic candidates in last week's midterm elections have left it reeling. ## Support for Israel becomes a liability What was once an asset has become a liability in many races, as favourable opinions of Israel plummet over civilian deaths in Gaza and the costly Iran war. ## El-Sayed defeats AIPAC twice in Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed tapped into anger over US funding for Israel's military and faced AIPAC-supported candidates in both the primary and general election, but emerged victorious to become the first Muslim senator. ## El-Sayed taunts AIPAC in victory speech The tens of millions of dollars spent by AIPAC-affiliated group United Democracy Project not only failed to beat El-Sayed but helped boost his messaging.He said in his victory speech: "To AIPAC… > To AIPAC… Thank you for giving me the opportunity to beat you twice. ## AIPAC becomes a liability for Republicans The tables flipped so completely that allies of El-Sayed's Republican opponent Mike Rogers reportedly even asked AIPAC to stop spending on him at one point. ## Campaign strategist confirms shift Adam Wood, a veteran Democratic campaign strategist with City and State Public Affairs, said AIPAC has become a liability, noting several campaigns he worked on in years past coveted AIPAC's support. > They definitely have become a liability. ## Talarico wins Texas with anti-AIPAC message Another Democratic Senate success story, James Talarico, won in Texas with a similar message of ending US funding for Israeli offensive weaponry and keeping distance from AIPAC. ## Talarico rejects AIPAC funding Talarico said early in his bid: "I've never taken money from AIPAC, and I'm not taking money from AIPAC in this campaign." > I've never taken money from AIPAC, and I'm not taking money from AIPAC in this campaign. ## Israel favourability hits record low The Chicago Council on Global Affairs has asked Americans to rate their favourability of Israel on a scale of zero to one hundred regularly since nineteen seventy-eight. ## Democrats' Israel support collapses Israel favourability dropped from fifty-eight in twenty twenty-two to forty-four today. For Democrats, the numbers are starker: a drop from fifty-two in twenty twenty-two to just thirty today. ## Democrats tank on Israel, expert says Dina Smeltz, a former State Department official who is now a managing director at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, said: "Democrats started to really tank on Israel." > Democrats started to really tank on Israel. ## AOC brands AIPAC right-wing Leftist Democratic star Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has branded AIPAC as "a right-wing organization that undermines democracy." > a right-wing organization that undermines democracy. ## Trump announces end to Israel aid On election day, President Donald Trump dialed into Fox and Friends and announced that the US would be ending a major annual aid package to Israel, something El-Sayed and others on the left have repeatedly… ## Right-wing voices turn against Israel Vice President JD Vance said his party's road to recovery after the midterms annihilation will require changing "our relationship to Israel." ## AIPAC could recover if Netanyahu falls Pro-Israel lobbyists are not going away.AIPAC already has competition from left-leaning pro-Israel J Street and the recently formed pro-Palestine American Priorities super PAC. ## AIPAC has resources to rebuild Dina Smeltz said of AIPAC: "It has been around for a long time, it has a lot of money." The group's long-term prospects depend on shifts in Israeli politics and American voter sentiment. > It has been around for a long time, it has a lot of money. ## Key takeaway AIPAC's political influence collapsed in the 2026 midterms as Israel-sceptic candidates won major races and American support for Israel fell to record lows.