AIPAC Loses in Illinois Ninth District Despite $4 Million Spending

Pro-Israel Lobbying Groups Spend Millions in Illinois Primary But Fail to Buy Daniel Biss

Illinois pro-Israel lobbying groups poured millions of dollars into the Democratic primary for the Ninth Congressional District but their efforts failed to buy Daniel Biss. AIPAC spent more than $4 million backing state Senator Laura Fine and about $1.4 million opposing Biss, the Evanston mayor who won the race.

Fine finished third with 20.4 percent of the vote while Biss won with 29.6 percent. The race was called by The Associated Press after 124,437 total votes were reported.

The defeat signals a challenge for the pro-Israel lobby as public opinion shifts on Israel and Democratic voters become more skeptical of outside influence in their districts.

The Ninth District is not for sale, Biss said in his victory speech.

Biss Background Makes Race Personal

Daniel Biss is the grandson of Holocaust survivors who later settled in Israel. He describes himself as both a supporter of the Jewish state and a fierce critic of its current government.

An internal campaign survey shared with The New York Times showed stark results. Three times more Democratic voters in the district viewed AIPAC unfavorably than favorably. Fifty-one percent viewed the group unfavorably versus 17 percent favorably.

Biss made AIPAC a central character in his campaign if not a villain. He worked hard to tell voters what was going on in the race.

AIPAC Spent $20 Million in Four Illinois Primaries

AIPAC spent more than $20 million through a network of affiliates in four congressional primaries in Illinois on Tuesday. The results were mixed. Two AIPAC-backed candidates won and two lost.

The group has steadfastly fought to retain its influence but has struggled to do so as public opinion shifts on Israel and the group faces an emboldened left.

Last month in a special election primary in New Jersey the groups spending inadvertently helped advance a pro-Palestinian progressive, according to The New York Times.

Other Winners in Illinois House Races

Other winners in Illinois included Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller for the Second District, former US Representative Melissa Bean for the Eighth District, state Representative La Shawn Ford for the Seventh District, and Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss for the Ninth District.

Two candidates that AIPAC-aligned groups supported won their House races. Two candidates they took stances against also prevailed.

The most stinging defeat was in the Ninth District. Pro-Israel lobbying groups with ties to AIPAC spent millions trying to influence the races and had mixed success.

Democratic Momentum Continues

The race comes amid broader Democratic strength in Illinois. Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton won the Democratic Senate primary with backing from Governor JB Pritzker. She defeated 10 other Democratic candidates vying for the party nomination including US Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly.

Stratton campaigned on a platform to boost the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour and called for the abolition of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

Trump Approval Plummets

President Trumps approval rating has plummeted. It is hovering at 39 percent according to a recent Reuters Ipsos poll. Democrats have turned in solid election performances over the past few months.

Analysts say Democrats have a good chance of winning control of the House. Republicans currently hold a 218-214 majority. The fight for the Senate where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority is expected to be tighter.

If Democrats are able to flip both chambers, Trumps domestic and foreign policy priorities would face new guardrails. These guardrails have been largely absent so far in his second term.

Cost of Living Central to Campaign

Democrats are seeking to center their campaigns for the midterm elections on the cost of living in the US. They argue Trump has failed to ease concerns over prices for groceries, fuel, healthcare and childcare.

The primary was held on March 17 in Illinois. The Cook Political Report rated the Ninth District race as Solidly Democratic before the primary. The winner of the primary was expected to have a strong advantage in November.

AIPAC Influence Tested

A super PAC with no disclosed links to AIPAC, Elect Chicago Women, started spending $4.4 million in early February to promote Laura Fine. Fine was a Democratic state senator who supported military aid to Israel without restrictions.

AIPAC suggested in a post on X that the group was behind the efforts in the Ninth District where groups linked to AIPAC had spent for Fine, and against Biss and Kat Abughazaleh.

The results proved that money does not guarantee victory. Fine finished in third place despite the millions spent on her campaign.

What This Means for Midterms

The loss in the Ninth District comes as Democrats seek to center their campaigns on issues that matter to voters. The cost of living crisis has made voters more skeptical of outside influence.

AIPAC has spent more than $20 million through affiliates in four congressional primaries in Illinois on Tuesday. The results were mixed with two AIPAC-backed candidates winning and two losing.

The organization has steadfastly fought to retain its influence but has struggled as public opinion shifts on Israel and the group faces an emboldened left.

Other Illinois Primary Results

In the Senate race, Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton won. She defeated 10 other Democratic candidates. Stratton campaigns on boosting the federal minimum wage to $25 per hour and abolishing US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In the Ninth District, Daniel Biss won with 36,781 votes or 29.6 percent. Kat Abughazaleh got 32,271 votes or 25.9 percent. Laura Fine received 25,326 votes or 20.4 percent.

The Republican primary winner was John Elleson with 7,406 votes or 49.0 percent. Paul Friedman received 5,083 votes or 33.6 percent. Rocio Cleveland got 1,433 votes or 9.5 percent. Dongbo Mark Su received 1,207 votes or 8.0 percent.

The total reported votes in the Democratic primary were 124,437. The total reported votes in the Republican primary were 15,129.

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Sources

• https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/illinois-senate-results
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/us/elections/results-illinois-us-house-9-primary.html
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/illinois-us-house-9-polls-2026.html
• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/18/pro-israel-groups-see-mixed-record-in-money-fuelled-illinois-primaries
• https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/us/elections/aipac-pro-israel-lobby-midterms.html
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/politics/medicare-for-all-health-care-cost-elections-analysis