Why is a moderate Democrat’s primary loss being called an AIPAC backfire?

Tom Malinowski faced onslaught of AIPAC attack ads, paving the way for a candidate more critical of US-Israel policy.

Washington, DC – Tom Malinowski, a moderate Democrat, has conceded defeat to progressive Analilia Mejia in a crowded primary race in New Jersey for the United States House of Representatives.

But the race is being called a loss not just for Malinowski but also for the influential pro-Israel organisation that opposed him: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

In recent years, Malinowski, a former Congress member, has offered only mild criticism of Washington’s unconditional support for Israel, suggesting conditions could be placed on US aid.

That, however, was enough to trigger an onslaught of targeted attack advertisements from the United Democracy Project (UDP), a super PAC linked to AIPAC.

Critics say the campaign against Malinowski is a sign of AIPAC’s zero-tolerance strategy towards any criticism of Israel, despite the risk of blowback from a Democratic electorate increasingly wary of Israel’s actions.