A newly formed super PAC, American Priorities, is reshaping Democratic primaries by providing a financial counterweight to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Launched just six months ago, the group has already spent at least $5.6 million to support candidates who are sharply critical of Israel, its war in Gaza, and AIPAC’s influence in Democratic primaries.
American Priorities helped two democratic socialists—Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez—secure victories in recent New York primaries and contributed to Melat Kiros’s upset win over Colorado Representative Diana DeGette. The group’s spending, while still far less than AIPAC’s United Democracy Project (which has spent at least $34 million this cycle), represents a significant new force for progressives who have long been outspent.
“The idea was to build a spending force that would back people who speak plainly about what most Democratic voters – and indeed most Americans – already believe, so that telling the truth stops being the thing that gets you outspent three to one,” said Greg Krieg, a spokesperson for American Priorities.
The super PAC has raised $5.5 million as of June 3, with top donors including Omer Hassan and Mohammad Waqas Javed, each contributing $1 million. The group has spent in eight primaries so far, with its largest investment being $1.6 million in New Jersey’s 12th District to support Adam Hamawy, a plastic surgeon who volunteered at a Gaza hospital. Hamawy’s campaign finished ahead of a dozen other candidates and is now likely headed to Congress.
Critics, including AIPAC and some progressive candidates, argue that American Priorities’ spending contradicts long-standing progressive pledges to reduce big money in politics. Some have pointed to donor Hussein “Sam” Mahrouq, who also contributed to Texas Republican leaders, as evidence of hypocrisy. However, supporters maintain that the group is a necessary counterweight to AIPAC’s massive spending and that campaign finance reform remains a long-term goal.
“Part of it’s Palestine, part of it’s countering AIPAC, but it’s also about giving a long-overlooked community, which is critical to any Democratic majority, a real voice in our politics,” said a person close to American Priorities.
The group’s next targets include Representative Cori Bush’s primary in Missouri and the Michigan Senate primary, where AIPAC has already spent over $7 million supporting Representative Haley Stevens against Abdul El-Sayed.
